Who Needs Love?
by otoru-onii
Summary: He's a jerk with no consideration. She's a tomboy with no qualities. And to top it all off, they absolutely despise each other, or so it seems. What happens when the two are stuck together? Havoc, that's what. [SoraKairi, w a bit of RoxasNaminé, AU]
1. New and Old Faces

A/N: Hi there! This is my first post on this site, so please be nice:) I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. Enjoy! -------------------------------------------- 

**Chapter 1**

_Today is the day... Today, I attend my new high school..._

Her black shoes softly clunked back and forth on her scarlet rug against the wooden floor as she paced the room and took an occasional glance at her appearance in the oval mirror. Her expression worsened as the door bell rang from downstairs. Letting out a depressed sigh, she slowly hoisted her bright pink bag over her shoulder and made her way downstairs. Her mother could be seen only halfway as the opened door covered her other half. She cut off the conversation with the person on the other side and turned to her auburn-headed daughter. Two blue eyes met, one pair mature, and the other pair big and innocent, yet, the innocent ones contained a bit of dread in it. The mother smiled.

"What's wrong, Kairi? Do you really hate attending new schools this much?" she asked softly.

Kairi only hung her head low at the question.

_It's not attending the school, it's the one I'm attending WITH._

"No, it's nothing like that. I'm just nervous, that's all, "was all she could say.

The mother smiled, "Well, you'd better get going then, here's Sora."

She moved out of the doorway to reveal a boy with gravity-defying brown hair that stuck in every direction. His blue eyes met hers and only looked away with a sigh. Kairi did the same and stepped out onto the doorstep.

"Have a good day at school you two!" the mother bade and closed the door. Kairi walked beside Sora, not even making eye contact, let alone any other contact. The school they were to attend to was called Sunset High. To get there, the two had to walk to the train station, take the train, and walk for another 5 minutes. Of course, both had serious problems with this, for they HAD to walk together. No exceptions from their parents. Sora and Kairi absolutely dreaded each other, ever since childhood. An incident seemed to happen between them, but I'll let you guys figure that out later. Kairi only peered down at her light blue plaid mini-skirt and tie that swayed with every step she took. Her feet came from under her, which bore black knee-high socks and black shoes. Her bag swayed around her shoulder, lying heavily on her white dress shirt. Sora, on the other hand, just looked around at the bustling people, simply ignoring the girl who walked next to him. His black backpack strapped over one shoulder, his light blue plaid tie lazily strung over the collar of his white dress shirt. His pants were black, along with his dress shoes. Awkward silence eerily followed as the two made their way to the train station. It wasn't long until both of them couldn't stand the silence anymore.

"Pfft, why do I always end up walking with _you_?" Sora emphasized.

Kairi glared. "Why are asking me?"

Both ignored as the train came in time to pick up the passengers and sped towards Sunset Hill. The two stayed close, as the train was unbelievably crowded. Kairi leaned against the door, while Sora sat on a seat, listening to music. The train began to slow down and came to a halt. The doors flung open, almost making Kairi fall out. She regained herself and waited for Sora. He came out, cursing under his breath as passengers inconsiderably shoved. Kairi knew Sora hated crowded spaces, and only knew one way to ease his irritation. Music. Sora made his way towards Kairi.

"What?" he asked offensively.

"Nothing," she simply said.

Both turned and walked on.

_Stupid, touchy jerk. Be grateful I WAITED for you._

They strode past shops and parks. It was a peaceful morning in May. The birds chirped excitedly and the children played in the parks. People bustled around feverishly as the train went in and out of the town. Kairi smiled a small crease as the children ran excitedly to the open swings and teeter totters, laughing and smiling as if the world around them didn't matter. Sora shifted his eyes to Kairi, but not moving his head, so she wouldn't notice. He focused on the small smile and closed his eyes.

"Pathetic..." he quietly remarked.

Kairi swung her head. "What did you say?"

"Nothing," he answered and continued to listen to his music, as if nothing ever happened. Kairi infuriatingly quickened her pace in hopes to lose the annoying boy. Sora watched her trot off in the lead and shook his head. He jogged up to her and caught blue fierce eyes.

"Haha, what? Did I make you mad, yet again?" he sneered.

Kairi ignored and kept pacing. Sora followed pacing behind her. I guess you could say he wasn't going to lose to her, even in something as worthless and unnecessary as racing to school. Very quickly, pacing turned to jogs, then jogs to runs, then runs to sprints. The two dashed across the gates to where the students idly talked, until their attention averted to a speedy Sora and Kairi, breathless and sweaty.

"I h..hate it... when... you fol... low me..." Kairi gasped, trying to speak in between breaths.

Sora wiped sweat from his forehead and panted, "It's not like... I wanted... to walk with... you..."

Both finally regained enough oxygen to talk normally.

"Well, if you hate it, then why do you?" Kairi asked angrily.

"Don't ask me. Ask our parents," said Sora, straightening his shirt. Kairi shook her head and parted ways with him, not saying a single word. Sora watched with furrowed brows and turned the other direction, wandering to who knows where.

-------------------------------------------- 

Kairi didn't know where she was going, until a slight tap on her shoulder made her jump out of her skin. She turned to a familiar smiling, blonde-haired girl with the same blue eyes as hers. Kairi's face bloomed into a smile as she tightly hugged the familiar person.

"Naminé! It's really you!!" Kairi exclaimed as she held tighter.

"Y-Yeah, It's... me!! Hey, Kairi, can you.. let go, just a little?" Naminé chuckled through the tightness.

Kairi let go immediately and smiled, "Hehe, sorry. I'm just so happy to see you!"

Naminé smiled at the giddy Kairi. Kairi and Naminé have been best friends since childhood up to now. She always swayed her hair above her left shoulder, and it apparently will be swayed like that forever. She was very pretty, and everyone seems to get along just fine with her. Naminé was caring and smart, and always had her opinions about certain things. Kairi was always proud to have a best friend like Naminé, because she would always be there through thick and thin.

"Phew, I'm glad I at least have my best friend here," Kairi sighed in relief as they made their way back to the front, where the most of the students lingered.

"Yeah, me too, "Naminé agreed. "So, how have you been? Do you like it here so far?"

Kairi nodded. "Twilight Town is really pretty! The clock tower is the hugest thing I've ever seen! How about you?"

Naminé sweetly smiled, "I like it here too! Although, I kind of do miss it in Destiny Islands."

"Yeah, me too. But we can at least send them postcards, or call whenever!" Kairi reassured.

Naminé nodded, and the two girls strolled around the school, examining whatever came into their sight.

-------------------------------------------- 

Sora wandered idly around until a pat on the shoulder disturbed him from his music. His eyes met aquamarine ones acquainted with long silver hair. His smirk was mischievous as ever.

"Whoa, Riku?" Sora gaped wide-eyed to see one of his best friends standing before him.

"What's up?" he greeted casually until a person from behind Riku approached. Again, Sora stared wide-eyed at this other person standing beside his other best friend. His hair was golden blonde that stuck up in a general direction along with his bangs, trying to cover up his blue eyes. He smiled more reassuringly than Riku did.

"And Roxas?!" Sora exclaimed, making sure the two are real by poking at them childishly.

"Haha, yeah, that's right. And yes Sora, I'm real, "Riku chuckled as he swapped Sora's hand away.

"How have you been, buddy?" Roxas asked.

Sora sighed in relief. "Well, better now that you guys are here. At least have my two best friends here."

Riku and Roxas have known Sora since his childhood and always stuck by him when things went wrong. Sora was always bullied, and Riku would come to the rescue, along with Kairi and Roxas. Roxas, is actually a cousin of Sora, and is currently living with his grandparents. To Sora, Roxas and Riku were like brothers, looking out for one another.

"How's it going for you in Twilight Town?" Riku asked as the two continued to walk around.

Sora sighed. "It's alright. Everything's peaceful and such." His content expression quickly turned ugly. "But there's one thing that isn't always peaceful..."

As he said this, the three were out in the front, were the students chit-chatted away endlessly. Sora gave a stern look at a certain auburn girl accompanied by a blonde who walked across form them. Riku and Roxas wondered about his expression and turned to where his gaze met. In an instant, both were yelling out her name.

"Kairi!!!" Roxas shouted, waving a hand in the air to get her attention. Kairi turned to where her name was being called and saw two familiar friends.

"Oh my gosh! Roxas!! Riku!!" she excitedly said and took Naminé's hand to jog over. It was a happy reunion, kind of. Riku, Roxas, and Kairi quickly got reacquainted with each other and asked about their wellbeing. Kairi introduced Naminé to them and got acquainted with her.

"So, Kairi, how's it going?" Riku asked, walking alongside her.

"Everything's going great! I never expected to see my friends again!" she giddily replied. Naminé laughed.

"Is Twilight Town working out for you?" Roxas asked, arms folded over and behind his head.

"Yup!" she quickly replied. "It's so peaceful here! But, I still miss Destiny Islands..."

Sora nodded in disbelief, "Quit being a baby..."

Kairi shot an angry stare at him as Riku and Roxas laughed. Naminé smiled silently at the quarrel.

"Geez, still the same Sora and Kairi. When are you two going to make up?" Roxas chuckled.

Both turned away with a 'hpmh' and said in unison, "Never." The friends giggled at the pair when a loud DING DING DING echoed across the campus. The students, as if they snapped out of a trance, immediately shuffled into the main building. Naminé and Kairi parted ways with the boys and made their way up the flight of stairs. Kairi currently has English with her best friend. There, she was acquainted with new teachers and friends such as Olette, a brown headed girl with wavy hair over her shoulders and lime green eyes, Selphie, another brown-haired girl that curved towards the bottom and also lime green eyes, and Yuna, who had a darker shade of brown hair with alternating eye colors, the left was green, and the right was blue. All seemed very nice and greeted her warmly. Time zipped past quickly, and before she knew it, the final bell rang, signaling the end of school. All five girls walked out to the front and met with the usual guys, along with new faces. There was Hayner, a blonde whose hair stuck straight up and possessed rich brown eyes, Tidus, a dirty blonde with blue eyes, and Wakka, an orange-haired boy with small coal eyes. Everyone had connections with each other, and all got reacquainted. It was kind of weird actually, Kairi nor Sora didn't expect to make this many friends in one day. It seemed like it was too good to be true.

The sun was still high up in the sky, and the others parted ways home. Both Kairi and Sora dreaded this part the most. Why? They had to walk back, with each other. Making their way down to the station, Kairi noticed how much the streets have filled since this morning.

_Wow, this sure is a busy town._

Kairi hadn't notice how off track she was when walking back to the station. A bonk to the head sure woke her up from daydreaming.

"Hey stupid. The station's this way," Sora rudely informed.

She rubbed the spot on her head where Sora had hit. "That hurt you idiot!"

"Then stop daydreaming and pay attention, ditz!" Sora fought back.

"Don't call me a ditz, jerk!"

Blue eyes glared, teeth clenched, fists tight, and noses scrunched. Both looked away and continued walking in unison.

_This... This guy! Who does he think he is? He'll pay for calling me a stupid ditz..._

They made their way up the steps when they noticed a large crowd of people entering the train. Sora and Kairi rushed behind, trying to squish in. They were unusually close to each other, in fact, so close, that they were practically leaning against each other.

"Move, you're too close, "Sora said uncomfortably.

"You think I can? I'm against the door," Kairi said, trying to shift in a more comfortable position. A passenger in front of Kairi apparently dropped something and bent over to pick it up, bumping her towards the open door. She lost balance and fell backwards onto the platform.

"Aaaahghh!" Kairi screamed as she fell out of the train door.

"Kairi!" Sora exclaimed as he took her hand and hoisted her back into the train before the closing door slid shut. Kairi panted, almost as if she had almost died.

_Oh my god, that was clo-_

Before she could finish her thought, she realized how even closer she was to Sora. His hand was supporting her back, and her head aligned with his neck. It was almost as if they're hugging. Kairi's face went hot. Since the train started to move, and the doors were shut, all of the passengers relaxed, causing more room to be taken up, and for the two to be even more squished together against the sliding door. Sora's hand retreated quickly, but soon started blushing at how unbelievably close the two were.

"S-Sora, what's the deal? Why are you moving closer?" Kairi bashfully said, trying to put a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"It's not my fault, the people in the back started pushing, " he said quietly, since the train possessed only the sound of clanks against the rail tracks.

Kairi couldn't believe this. A train ride, with Sora, up against her, SO CLOSE! This day couldn't get any worse... The ride was silent and slow, to Sora and Kairi's dismay, when they finally reached the Twilight platform. Both almost fell out when the sliding doors suddenly swished open. The people shuffled out and scattered down and out of the station. Kairi was being pushed and shoved away from Sora by the bustling passengers. She tried making her way to him, but something would always bump into her, veering her off track. Sora looked beside himself, expecting to find an ignoring Kairi, but instead, found no one. He looked around, trying to distinguish between the people when he spotted Kairi struggling between a crowd. He sighed and made his way over. He outstretched his hand and made a grab for hers, pulling her to him.

"Geez, you're like a little kid," Sora gestured.

"Oh shut up. It's not my fault people are so inconsiderate like you," Kairi said piercing her eyes at him.

"Psh, inconsiderate my butt. You shouldn't even be talking, "said Sora, with a disbelieving look on his face.

"I'm not inconsiderate! Never have been, never will be," she defended. There was an awkward silence when Kairi felt something warm clutch her hand. Sora's big hand wrapped around her petite ones. He noticed too and rashly drew back his hand forcefully, leaving both blushing uncomfortably.

"D-Don't get the wrong idea. I was just helping you since your still a child, "Sora stuttered, looking the other way.

"I-I'm not, and I'm not a child! You are, "Kairi said, looking down. A melodic tune was heard from Kairi's bag. She shuffled through and flipped open her cell phone.

"Hello?" she said.

"Kairi, where are you?" asked the caller, who was her mother.

"Sorry mom, I'm at the station, I'll be home in another five minutes," Kairi reassured.

"Alright, I've already made dinner, so hurry. And be careful on your way. Is Sora with you?"

Kairi sighed. "Yes, mom, he's with me."

"Good, now hurry and come home. Bye, "she said and ended the connection.

Kairi plopped the phone back into her bag and started walking with Sora alongside her.

_I seriously have to ask mom why I need Sora to walk with me and walk back from school. _

Both walked home in silence, no one speaking, nor making any contact. When they reached their houses, Sora continued on to his, which was right next to Kairi's. She watched him go when she called him.

"Sora!"

He turned his head, "What?"

"Don't tell a soul what happened today, "she said, slightly feeling the same heat from before.

Sora turned back around and continued walking on. "Heh, don't worry, I won't. Besides, I'm not the type to blurt stuff out, unlike a _certain_ person I know."

At that comment, Sora sneered at the fuming Kairi and proceeded inside his house. Kairi went in and slammed the door ferociously.

_Grrrrrr!!! That jerk makes me so mad!!_

**End Chapter 1**

-------------------------------------------- A/N: So, how was it? Did you like it? xD I made Sora such a jerk in here, but I love him to death. I'd appreaciate if you left feedback! If you'd like to know what happens next, let me know in your reviews! I have Chapters 1 through 6 already completed. Thank you for reading! 


	2. PiggyBack Ride

A/N: Hey there! Thanks for reviewing guys! I know I only started posting on this site, but it meant a lot from your reviews! Enough of my rambling for now, enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does.

---------------------------------------------------------------

**Chapter 2**

Kairi sat down at the table in her baby pink pj's and ate dinner roughly. Today was just unheard of. Sora made her boil on the inside. To make things more aggravating, a little Sora devil kept pestering inside her head, teasing and making faces.

_Nya nya! Kairi's a stupid ditz!_

"Leave me alone."

_What if I say no?_ It stuck a tongue at her.

"Then I'll make sure you don't."

_Psh, what can you do? Yell at me to death? Hahahahahahahaha! _It said, shaking it's behind at her while the devilish tail swayed along.

Kairi growled, red in the face, and she hastened her eating pace. The mother looked curiously at her daughter as she stuffed her face savagely with rice and cooked beef. Her small hands gently turned the faucet off in the sink and wiped thoroughly on her apron.

"Kairi? Are you alright?" The mother asked concerning.

"Aifff ffiibbee (I'm fine)," she managed to say through chewed food.

The mother lifted an eyebrow as she closed the dishwasher. "You don't like fine. You're eating a bit too fast."

Kairi gulped the mouth-full of food and breathed. "I'm alright, I'm just in a hurry to get my homework done."

She gurgled down a glass of water in less than ten seconds and sped upstairs.

"Thanks for the dinner, mom!" she called and shut the door. Her hands gathered up her auburn hair in a ponytail and tightly a secured a black scrunchie.

"Alright. Time for homework, "she said positively as the books and binders scattered all over her bed. She began writing, pausing occasionally to think, and began writing again. Homework was always a breeze for Kairi. She always paid attention in class and never hesitated to answer a question. Her grades were important to her and always strives to keep it an A. Laying on her stomach, she closed the math book and sighed in relief that homework was finished. She stuffed her backpack with her things and laid back on her bouncy bed, staring up at the blank ceiling as the light reflected upon it. She quickly recalled the memories that happened today. Walking with Sora to school, meeting her best friends and other new and old friends, classes, walking home with Sora, that _incident_ while walking home with Sora..

Images of Sora flashed through her mind. She quickly buried her face into her pillow, not believing who she was thinking about.

_No, no, no, no! Don't you start thinking about him now! You hate his guts! Think about what happened long ago!!_

----------Flashback----------

_The little Kairi quickly rushed over to the shore, where she found a bruised up Sora covered in dusts of sand. She knelt down to his level reaching out a hand._

_"Are you okay, Sora?" she asked innocently._

_Sora forcefully shoved her hand away and glared at her. "I hate girls. And that means you too."_

----------End Flashback----------

Kairi quickly scowled at the countless times Sora had been so mean to her. There were insults and pranks, mocking and teasing. It never ended, even when Kairi decided to fight back too. Both had been at it ever since they were five. Nothing has ever been the same after Kairi recalled that same flashback. She closed her eyes, burying her face in her pillow even more, trying to black out the memory and think of something else when she heard a loud clank on her window. She looked back and got up to pull back the blinds. Sora had his elbow on the sill in his room and a couple of pebbles in his hand from across, looking back at her. Kairi quickly frowned and slid open the window. The starlit sky and pale moon greeted as the light breeze rushed in.

"What do you want?" Kairi asked rudely.

Sora sighed, scratching his head.

_I can't believe I'm asking HER for help._

"Well?" Kairi grew impatient.

"I need your help," Sora finally said.

"On what?" she asked.

"Homework, " he grumbled.

Kairi knew Sora wasn't a straight A student, but he was at least average.

"Let me guess, math?" Kairi mocked.

Sora shot an angry glare. "Yes, math. How'd you know Einstein?"

She sneered at his comeback. "Well, why are you asking me? Why don't you ask Riku or Roxas?"

"I haven't gotten their contacts yet, unless you have them, " said Sora crossing his arms.

"Nope," she answered.

Sora was getting ticked off. "Okay, fine, if you won't help me, then forget it, " he said and turned around.

Kairi shook her head, not believing she was ACTUALLY going to help him.

"Alright alright. No need to get all pissy," she called in defeat just before Sora had almost closed his window. He rolled his eyes and grabbed the large algebra book. Kairi did the same and sat with an elbow on the sill, the book resting on her hand. In an instant, Kairi was instructing Sora on how to do which problems and what to look out for. Sora listened intently and followed her every word. In less than ten minutes, he was done with his homework and hung over the window in relief.

"Geez, it's finally done. I never understand these damn quadratic equations..."

Kairi peered over as she slid her book into her book bag. "Well, if you pay attention, maybe you would."

Sora turned his upside down head towards Kairi. "I do! I just don't understand how they work the problem out or whatever."

"Then how in the world do you get your homework done?" Kairi asked.

Sora sat upright. "Beats me. Everything else is a breeze. Math is just a pain in the butt, so I guess at it."

Kairi sighed at his response and just relaxed on her sill, eyes closed. Sora noticed what she was doing and raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, don't fall asleep there, ditz. Sleep on your bed. That's what it's made for," he mockingly informed.

Kairi got up and quickly slammed her window shut, pulling on the strings that made her blinds roll over the window until Sora's sneering face was no more. She dropped herself on her bed, scowling.

_I HATE him. He always makes me angry! Always have been, always will._

She noticed her alarm clock that read 9:30. She decided to go sleep as she flipped the lamp switch and rested her overwhelmed head. Her eyes slowly shut, drifting into a peaceful slumber.

The usual morning routine followed as such: Kairi getting up, brushing her teeth, changing her clothes, eating breakfast, and walking with Sora to school. Kairi noticed how Sora was only half awake today. She snapped her fingers loudly in front of his drowsing eyes.

"Hey, you awake there?" she called.

"Yeah yeah..." he replied sleepily. Kairi shook her head, ignoring the insomniac and headed towards the train station. As the train started to move, she quickly recalled why she always had to walk with Sora.

----------Flashback----------

_Before she sat down to eat dinner, Kairi went up to her mother who was stirring beef and potatoes in a pan._

_"Hey, mom?" she asked, peering over at the steaming delicacy._

_"Hm?" she replied._

_"Why do I always have to walk with Sora to school? Why can't I walk alone?"_

_"Well, Kairi," she began, stirring the beef and potatoes carefully. "It's dangerous out there. There are all kinds of dangerous people looking for victims. Sora is there to make sure you're out of harms way. Plus, what's the harm? He lives right next to us! And besides, you two are the best of friends, right?"_

_Kairi's eyes widened._

_'Wow mom, how wrong you are...' she thought in her head._

_"Y-Yeah, sure.." she lied and decided to end the conversation there as she sat down at the table, waiting for the food to be served._

----------End Flashback----------

"Hey. Hey, idiot. Hellooooo!" Sora called, snapping Kairi out of her thoughts. "Were here. Hurry up and get off before I leave you here."

Kairi scowled and walked out of the train car. Sora walked ahead as Kairi followed behind, again, in silence. She looked up from behind his spiky-brown hair. Turning away, she kept walking behind. The usual streets were bustling with the usual people and the usual school with its usual chit-chatty students came into the usual view. They entered through the gates and immediately went their separate ways without saying a word, Sora to his friends and Kairi to hers. Riku and Roxas were idly sitting on a patch of grass when Sora came up.

"Hey dude, what's up?" Roxas asked, peering up from his binder.

Sora sighed and plopped himself across the two. "Nothing, just the usual..."

"Hey, Sora, I always see you walking with Kairi to school. Are you guys like, going out or something?" Riku asked while laying his back against the tree.

Sora snapped out of his exhaustion and disgust formed in his face. "Riku, are you kidding me???"

Roxas laughed, closing his binder, "Yeah, you guys do fight like cat and dog, but you know, it looks like you guys have a couple thing going on."

Sora turned his head in Roxas's in direction. "Roxas, not you too! C'mon guys! Get a grip! She's bossy, pushy, and has no girl qualities whatsoever!" he exclaimed, counting his fingers.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. But that's not what Olette and Selphie saw yesterday, " Riku sneered, glancing at the now confused Sora.

"Olette and Selphie?" he blinked. "Why? What did they see?"

Roxas tried to keep in his laugh, "Well, both of them saw you and Kairi on the train going back home. They said you guys were really close."

Sora's head jerked back. "Wait a minute! Do you know how crowded it was in that train?! We were practically smushed!!"

"Yeah, okay. And how about when you got OUT of the train? Were you two just holding hands out of coincidence?" Riku asked slyly.

Sora blushed immensely. "I-I was just trying to get Kairi closer to me!" Riku and Roxas smirked back at each other from his comment. Sora quickly realized how he had worded it. "No, no, no, no! Not like that! I mean, she was getting pushed away from the passengers so I helped her!!"

The two busted out laughing as Sora flailed his arms, trying to get his point through the two. He could already tell it wasn't working, judging from the laughter the two kept spewing. He sighed in defeat and pouted until the bell rang. The usual routine went on and it zipped on to lunch. Sora walked out of his classroom to be greeted by Tidus, Wakka, Selphie,Yuna, Olette, Roxas, and Riku. Kairi and Naminé had a different lunch from them. The group walked onto the front to enjoy their lunch in the warm sunlight. Picking a grassy spot, they all sat down and began eating. Sora noticed about how giggly Selphie and Olette were. He paused eating his sandwich and peered at the two.

"Hey Selphie, Olette," he said, interrupting their giggles. "Why are you two spreading rumors about me and Kairi?"

Olette looked at Selphie, "Selphie! I thought I told you not to tell!"

"Teehee, I'm sorry Sora, I couldn't help it! Really! You and Kairi just make one heck of a cute couple!" she giggled.

Sora's redness came back to his cheeks, but fought it back. "We were NOT, I repeat, NOT holding hands," he emphasized, not once, but twice.

"Tch, yeah, okay, "Selphie shrugged and began to eat her lunch with a wide grin. The whole group, except Sora, grinned at one another after hearing what had just happened. Sora was seriously not going to take this.

"Guys, that's not funny," he said, reading their minds.

The all laughed, "C'mon Sora, why ELSE, would you always walk her home?" Tidus said.

"Yeah, I mean, it's only natural for a crush or a boyfriend to do that, right?" Roxas asked grinningly.

"No, it's not. It's not like I WANT to walk her home. My parents make me, " Sora defended.

The group continued to laugh as Sora pouted, eating his sandwich when the bell rang for class. Each went their separate ways and on came Naminé and Kairi's lunch. The two walked down to the front and picked a grass patch next to a wall to sit. Kairi was starving and opened her box hastily to eat. Naminé tilted her head as Kairi stuffed and stuffed and stuffed. Naminé giggled as Kairi looked up at her with rice specs and a bit of sauce on her mouth.

"What?" she mumbled.

"Nothing, "Naminé laughed. "Hey Kairi, can I ask you something?"

Kairi stopped eating and wiped her mouth with a tissue. "Sure, shoot."

Naminé lowered her plastic bowl. "Well, I just wanted to know, how come you and Sora always walk to school together? I thought you two hated each other."

"Hmph" Kairi pouted. "We do hate each other."

"Well, how come he walks with you and back from school? Are you guys dating?"

Kairi almost spit out her food. "Naminé, are you kidding me?! No, we are NOT dating. Let alone even CLOSE. Not in ANY way, shape or form!! I wouldn't even touch the guy with a ten foot pole!!" she exclaimed loudly. Naminé backed a little and chuckled nervously implying "Yeah, okay, I get it."

Kairi calmed down and sighed. "My parents make me walk with him. They say he'll _protect_ me from the bad people out in Twilight..."

Naminé smiled cheekily. "Wow, so he's your knight-in-shining-armor too?" she joked. Kairi yelled yet again, flailing her arms this time, at the laughing Naminé when the bell rang for the last period of class. Both walked and bade each other farewell to their next class. It ended quickly as the bell echoed throughout the school, and the doors busted open with students going home. Kairi walked out slowly, dreading yet, another walk with Sora. As she walked, a couple of students ran past her, knocking her down, unaware of her foot's awkward twist on the floor.

"Ow! Hey, watch where you're going!!" she yelled. She got up slowly when a twinge of pain snapped in her right ankle. She yelped in pain. She waited a few seconds and struggled outside onto the front. Sora was waiting leaning against a tree, listening to music. Kairi limped over to where he stood and got his attention. Sora didn't notice anything and proceeded to walk. She mustered up her strength to walk normally, but it only made it worse, causing a surge of pain bursting in her ankle yet again.

"Ouch!!" she cried, kneeling and feeling her injured ankle. Her eyes looked back, examining her ankle and putting a bit of pressure on it, as the pain came back again. Sora looked to the side when he noticed no one walking beside him and turned around to a teary Kairi sitting on the ground. He pulled out his earphones and walked back over to where she sat.

"What, tired already?" he smartly asked.

Kairi glared. "Shut up. My ankle's sprained."

"Stand up, " he said, hoisting Kairi's hand upon his shoulder. She stood up and tried to walk on her right foot with Sora's support, but failed when the pain came rushing back, causing her to fall back on her knees. Sora looked at her as tears slid down her cheeks. He sighed and knelt down before her, revealing his back while his hands outstretched backwards.

"Get on," he instructed bluntly.

Kairi looked from her watery eyes. "What? No way. I don't think so."

"You want to get home on time or not?" he said irritably. Kairi gave in, hating every fiber of her being as to what she had to do. Taking his backpack off and pulling it over her shoulder, she crawled to his back and secured her arms over his broad shoulders and held on tight as Sora hoisted her up, carrying her legs from behind. He walked on, giving Kairi a piggyback ride, strutting through the peoples and ignored onlookers. Most of them grinned at the 'couple'. Both quickly got annoyed. They reached the station in no time, and, once again, the same amount of people huddled into the train car. Sora and Kairi got in last, squishing and making room. Sora let down Kairi before entering the train and, unfortunately, got squished in the middle of the train this time. Again, the same closeness happened, and everything went uncomfortable. A bump on the track caused the passengers to move, and one accidentally shifted Kairi's injured ankle, causing her to fall forward. Sora caught her and sighed at her clumsiness.

"Geez, you're always such a klutz, " Sora said, holding Kairi up.

"It's not my fault! These people have no manners whatsoever!" she cried quietly.

"Yeah, whatever. Just get off me, " he said, slightly pushing her away.

"If you haven't noticed, I can't! I can't move! My ankle's sprained." The passengers relaxed and took up even more room, causing both to be even closer. Another bump went by and Kairi almost lost balance when Sora held her firmly against him.

"Just, hold on until we get off..." Sora mumbled.

Kairi didn't say a word and grasped the back of his shirt. Her cheeks leaned against his shoulder as their heads looked away in opposite directions, trying to hide the pinkness in their faces. The train traveled smoothly and slowed to a stop at Twilight Station. Sora and Kairi made their way out, Kairi limping hastily to catch up to Sora. He sighed and hoisted her up for another piggyback ride. Walking home was extremely awkward, they haven't been this close, ever! Kairi slowly felt today's exhaustion kick in and her eyes began to drift away. She shook her head to get the haziness out of her eyes, but it just wouldn't work. She leaned closer, and closer, and closer, until she fell asleep on his back. Sora looked back, wondering why more weight was added onto his shoulders. He saw Kairi's eyes closed and felt breathing.

"H-Hey stupid! Don't fall asleep now! It's already hard enough for me to piggyback you! Hey!! Are you even listening!?" he yelled, trying to wake her up.

She didn't budge. He sighed in annoyance and trod on, carrying the sleepy Kairi home. Their houses came into view and Sora lightly quickened his pace to Kairi's house, when, all of a sudden, a tight grasp curled under his chin. Kairi's ivory arms secured themselves over Sora's neck, causing his face to go red. He shook his head, trying to somehow wriggle the heat from his face, but it failed. He continued on, slowly this time, trying to ignore Kairi's breath on his skin. His face glowed bright red as he ascended the steps to Kairi's doorstep and knocked on the door. The mother answered with a terrified look as she saw her daughter knocked out on Sora's back.

"Oh my goodness!! Kairi! Is she alright?" she panicked.

"Don't worry, she just fell asleep from exhaustion, although she sprained her ankle at school, so I carried her here, "Sora reassured.

The mother sighed in relief and motioned him to the sofa, plopping Kairi onto the squishy couch. She laid idly as the mother thanked and apologized to Sora for all the trouble her daughter put him through. He nodded it off and made his way out the door. He took one last glance at Kairi, who laid in peaceful slumber. Kairi's mother waved goodbye and shut the door behind as Sora continued up to his house. He felt a familiar warmth rush in his neck where Kairi held. Sora looked puzzled as to what was happening to him. He touched the skin of his neck, feeling the warmth it gave off to his fingertips.

_Okay... this is weird..._

**End Chapter 2**

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A/N: So how do you like Chapter 2? xD Please review! I'll post Chapter 3 soon! Thanks for reading! 3


	3. Shopping

Hiya peoples! I'm back with Chapter 3, thanks for the reviews once again! Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does.

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**Chapter 3**

Kairi awoke to the sound of her alarm and tried to focus on her surroundings. She was back in her room.

_How did I get here?_

She clicked her alarm off and went to get ready. The aroma of eggs and sausage soothed its way into her nose and her tummy gave a grumble. Quickly getting dressed and taking her bag, she stepped down the stairs and sat at the table where the food laid, waiting to be eaten. Kairi looked up at her mother, who was soaking the oily pans into the sink.

"How are you feeling, Kairi?" the mother asked, placing the wet dish onto the rack.

"I'm okay. Why do you ask?" Kairi replied, spooning food into her mouth.

"Well, Sora brought you home, sleeping with a sprained ankle," mother informed.

Kairi took a moment to process her words, and quickly recalled herself blacking out on Sora's back.

"Oh, oh yeah. I guess I was really tired that day..." she chuckled nervously.

The mother smiled. "Well, just make sure you don't overwork yourself." _Ding Dong!_ "Oh, Sora's here! Hurry and finish up."

Kairi sighed and finished the last piece of her sausage and drank her remaining orange juice. She walked over to the door as her mother ushered them out, locking the door from behind. Sora and Kairi proceeded to walk, when, for some odd reason, Sora kept stealing glances at her. She was wondering what in the world he was staring at.

"What?" she asked.

He peered closer, examining any sign of bags under her eyes and looking down at her used-to-be-injured ankle.

"Are you sure you're okay? Because I don't feel like breaking my back for you again," he asked regaining his posture.

"Yes, I am, "Kairi replied."If you didn't want to, then why did you?"

Sora shrugged, inserting earphones in between his brown locks that covered his ears.

They walked on to the train station and sped towards Sunset Hill.

_Well, maybe I should just apologize and thank him. After all, he did go through all of that trouble to get me home._

She took a deep breath, cursing in her mind of how she was such a softie and began to speak.

"Um, Sora?" she asked hesitantly.

He turned, pulling one earphone out. "What?"

"T-Thanks, for yesterday," she stuttered, looking anywhere but at Sora.

Sora raised an eyebrow, and decided to ignore the twinge in his chest.

"Pfft, that's all you can say? After I broke my back to get you home?" he fought.

Kairi turned dumbfounded to him, "What do you mean, 'That's all you can say'?! I said sorry, didn't I? I also said you didn't have to do that for me!"

Sora shrugged again, "Yeah, so what? You think sorry's going to cut it?"

Kairi stomped her foot and stood where she was, "Well, what else am I supposed to do???"

Sora ignored and simply trotted on, "I don't know. You figure it out."

Kairi fumed and began to pace quickly, going ahead of him. He sighed as he casually walked through the gates after Kairi. The warmth in his neck came back again.

_Geez, now the heat in my neck won't leave me alone. Thanks a lot, Kairi. You owe me big time._

Sora turned to the usual grassy spot where his two best friends laid and sat himself down, lying on his back to watch the clouds drift by.

"So, I take it you and Kairi had a fight?" Riku asked coolly.

Sora closed his eyes with a 'hmph'. "None of your business."

Roxas looked over. "So, you did."

Irritation rose, "No, we didn't and why do you guys even bother? It's not like we never get into fights like this."

Roxas peered over to Riku with a silent grin. Sora felt the interaction and decided to ignore it. The bell rang and the students prepared for the usual class schedule. Time flew by rather slowly, to Sora's dismay, when the final bell signaled the end of school. He walked down and waited for Kairi at the same tree as yesterday, when he caught the sight of the whole group talking excitedly as they descended the stairs and rushed over to him.

"Hey, Sora!" Hayner called.

"Hey, what's up guys?" Sora greeted.

"Well, there's a party being held at Selphie's since her sweet sixteen is coming up on Friday. Can you come?" Yuna asked.

Sora thought for a moment, forming a calender in his head.

"Yeah, I'm free. What time?" he asked.

"Around 7:30 to 8:30. Party's over when I say so!" Selphie excitedly said. "Oh, and, just to let you know, we play by my games too! No exceptions!"

Sora nodded.

_Games, huh? Sounds fun._

"Oh, and, could you tell Kairi she's invited? I want her to come too!" Selphie added.

His heart stopped as her name echoed in his head. "Y-Yeah, sure."

The group waved good-bye as Sora continued to wait for Kairi. The door busted open to a rushing Kairi as she made her way down the steps and to where Sora stood. She panted, gasping for breath and slowly walked behind Sora. He began to muster up courage to tell Kairi of her invitation. Wait a minute...

_Why is this so hard? It's only an invitation to a party..._

He peered back. "Hey," was all he could say.

She glanced up. "What?"

"You're invited to Selphie's sweet sixteen on Friday."

Kairi eyes widened. "Really? Oh, okay! Then I'd better hurry and find her a present..."

She thought long and hard as to what to get for the hyper-active Selphie, for she practically liked ANYTHING. Sora shifted his shoulders a bit at her comment.

_Crap, I've got to get her something too..._

Kairi shrugged it off. "Oh well, I'll go shopping tomorrow then."

Sora sparked an idea, "Well, I'm going too."

Kairi paused to where she stood. "What? Why?"

"I don't have anything to give her, so I'm buying it. It's not like I'll be following you or anything."

Kairi frowned and continued walking silently behind, getting into the smushed train and riding back. The walk was beyond quiet, for the bustle had been noisier than ever. Kairi reached home and immediately made her way upstairs into her room. She hadn't noticed her mother's missing presence until she got dressed in house clothes. Kairi decided to get started on her homework and get it finished by four o' clock, leaving time to spare. Just as she predicted, she indeed finished at four, with three minutes already wasted. Her mother got back by the time she was done and asked permission if she could go to the shop district to buy a gift for Selphie's birthday. The mother agreed, only on one condition: If Sora came along. Kairi sighed in disbelief and got dressed to go out. She walked past her lawn and onto Sora's doorstep. Ringing the doorbell, Sora's father greeted behind the door.

"Sora! Come down, someone wants to talk to you!" he cried.

Kairi heard quick pounding on the stairs as Sora appeared in the doorway in a white muscle-shirt and black sweatpants.

"What do you want?" he asked casually.

Kairi rolled her eyes. "I'm going shopping, you want to come?"

"Today? I thought you said you were doing it tomorrow, "Sora said leaning on the door.

"I had time to spare after my homework was done, "said Kairi.

"Geek," Sora muttered under his breath.

"What did you say?" asked Kairi annoyingly.

"Nothing. Be down in a second, "he said as the door shut. Kairi sighed and sat on the steps, impatiently waiting for the inconsiderate brunette to come out. Surprisingly, he did in less then five minutes, with a long sleeve blue shirt and jeans over converse. Kairi stood up and lead the way without a single word. Both walked and walked and walked and walked until it seemed like hours. The shopping district came around the corner, as did the many shoppers.

"I'm going this way. See you later, "Kairi hastily said and walked ahead when a hand grabbed a hold of her arm.

"Oh no you don't. You're staying with me," Sora said, pulling her back.

Kairi looked confused as ever. "What? Wait, didn't you say earlier that you weren't going to follow me?"

Sora turned the other way, letting go of her arm. "I lied, okay? I don't know the kind of stuff girls like, so you're helping me out."

Kairi's mouth dropped from utter disbelief.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said.

"You think I am?" asked Sora mockingly.

"Get her anything! Why would you need my help?" Kairi asked loudly.

"'Cause you're a girl, idiot! Unless you've had a sex change, which is something I'd highly believe, "he insulted. Kairi scowled and walked off, pacing quickly and leaving him behind. Sora couldn't believe what he was doing, actually chasing after a girl, and the girl HAD to be Kairi. He jogged over and grabbed a hold of her once again, this time she jerked away.

"Oh, suck it up. You should be used to this by now," Sora exclaimed.

Kairi never once met his gaze and just kept walking on slowly. Sora sighed once again and followed silently behind her, going in and out of shops, examining items being shown through the windows. When Kairi took interest in a certain pink store with a rainbow logo over the word "Sanrio" on it, he absolutely refused and waited outside for her. After what seemed like ten minutes, Kairi finally walked out, with a pink and white bag over her arm. Sora examined it, but Kairi pulled away.

"It's for me to know and Selphie to find out," she bluntly said. "So what about your gift? You didn't find anything?"

Sora sighed as he leaned against the wall, "I don't know what girls specifically like."

"Girls like anything. Trust me," Kairi replied.

Sora looked over. "Fine, I'll trust you just this once."

Kairi ignored the last bit of the comment and followed Sora into an accessories store. He browsed around, trying to find something unique, yet appealing when he spotted Kairi adoring a diamond pink, heart-shaped necklace. He went over and examined it too. The price said "13,000 munny".

"No friggin' way. Too expensive, "he remarked and turned to the bracelets section. His eyes scanned up and down until he found a rather cute lime green and white striped pair of bracelets. The price read "595 munny". He picked it up and rotated it, confirming that it was a perfect gift for Selphie.

_I'll ask Kairi if this would be good._

He peered over once again to the auburn-headed girl, who was still standing at the exact place as that necklace. Instead of a smile, a frown replaced it. Sora lifted an eyebrow.

_Tch, you've got to be a complete idiot to buy useless, overpriced jewelry like that..._

He walked over, interrupting her trance and held up the bracelets.

"You think these will do?" Sora asked bluntly.

Kairi inspected them and nodded, "Yeah, those would be perfect."

Sora noticed a bit of depression in her voice and decided to ignore it after he walked up to the counter to ring up the item. Kairi waited outside, peering down at her shoes and her bagged gift for Selphie. As Sora made his way out, he took one last glance at the necklace Kairi was eyeing. He paused for a moment, and then continued outside to meet her.

"Ready?" he asked.

She nodded and followed behind slowly. The walk was silent as always, and the streets bustled with noise. Their gifts thumped against there legs as they proceeded on home. Kairi's gift was rather soft, and didn't make too much noise. Sora's didn't make any noise at all because of its size. Still, Sora was curious as to what Kairi got for Selphie. When they reached home, he caught her attention.

"Hold on," Sora intervened.

Kairi stopped where she was. "What?"

"Let me see your gift," he demanded.

Kairi looked down at her bag, "No way! Like I said before, it's for me to know and Selphie to find out."

"You saw my gift, now let me see yours," he said, beckoning with his fingers.

Kairi shook her head, "It's your fault for not following me into Sanrio."

Sora shrugged, "Me, going into that disgusting pink place? No way in hell would I ever do that."

Kairi started towards her door, "Then you'll just have to find out Friday."

Sora watched her go with a 'tch' and headed towards his home next door.

_Wait, something doesn't feel right..._

He glanced backwards before turning the door handle when he noticed the stars in the sky were replaced by dark, ominous clouds. A rumble could be heard faintly in the distance from Sunset Hill. He twisted the door handle and proceeded inside. He noticed the parents watching the television and ignored it as he made his way into his bedroom upstairs and laid upon the bouncy bed. His room was quite messy, but not so messy that you'll find food under his bed or dirty magazines under his mattress. His gaze went through his window and eyed the clouds suspiciously. In his mind, he knew what this meant.

_Kairi hates thunder._

**End Chapter 3**

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Uh-oh, Kairi hates thunder! I do too, it scares the crippes outta me xD. Wondering what'll happen next? Review pretty please! I'll post Chapter 4 soon! Thanks for reading! 3


	4. Thunderstorm

A/N: Hello guys! I'm up with Chapter 4. xD Wow, I never expected to get such reviews! Please read and enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does.

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**Chapter 4**

Kairi laid silently, listening to music on the stereo while flipping through her teen magazine. She sighed when nothing found her interest and just plopped the magazine onto the white desk. She looked up at her blank ceiling, pondering Selphie's birthday on Friday when her mother knocked softly on the door. Kairi sat upright as the adult entered, dressed up and carrying a bag full of papers.

"I'm sorry Kairi, I'm going to replace a sick co-worker at work. I won't be home until about five in the morning, " she informed.

Kairi wore a worried expression. "Until five? Mom, are you sure you can handle it?"

The mother chuckled softly, "Yes, I'm sure I can handle it. I get paid extra if I take this opportunity, so I called in."

Kairi understood and nodded. Since Kairi's father was always across the sea, working on important trades, he was rarely home at all. If her mother left, that would leave Kairi all alone.

"Will you be alright here by yourself?" the mother asked consentingly.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, " Kairi replied.

"Alright, I'll see you later. Make sure the house is locked up, and call me if you need anything."

Kairi nodded and walked her mother downstairs and out the door. She bid good-bye and locked the door, proceeding up the stairs and back into her pinkish room. She shut her door, thinking about what to do. Homework was finished this afternoon, and shopping for Selphie's gift was successful, what could she do?

"I know! I could call Naminé and talk to-" Kairi stopped. "Oh yeah, I keep forgetting to get her number. Along with everyone else's. The only number I have is Sora's."

She turned to her cell phone, hesitatingly reaching out a hand, when she finally reconsidered. "No way, there's no way I can have, even a pleasant conversation, with that jerk."

She lay sideways, facing the poster-plastered wall and decided to sleep early tonight. Her hands reached for the alarm clock, when suddenly, the lights blinked out. She immediately sat upright, flicking the switch on the lamp, hoping that light would shine from the bulb, but nothing happened. She panicked and took deep breaths.

_C-Calm down, Kairi. It's just a power-outage. Just wait until the light comes on._

With that, she curled herself up in her blanket and waited for any light to magically blink on.

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Sora jolted up when the lights blinked out. He heard his parents downstairs interacting frantically. His foot reached the cold wooden floor and tried to feel around for an object. It was so dark, that he couldn't even see his own hands in front of his face. Sora's fingertips finally reached his desk as he pulled out a shelf and rummaged in it to hopefully find his trusty flashlight. When he grasped the cylinder object and flipped the switch on, a ray of light shone. He used the beam as his eyes and made his way downstairs to where his parents are.

"Oh, good Sora, you've got a flashlight, " the mother squinted, trying to adjust to the beam of light while clutching on to her husband's arms.

"A-hah! Found it!" the father exclaimed as another beam of light bursted in the room. He turned his attention to Sora, "You okay, son?"

Sora nodded. "What happened?"

The father handed Sora's mother the flashlight and explained, "Well, we were watching the forecast today. It said a thunder storm is on its way here. After that, everything went black. I guess the lightning strike in Sunset hit a power plant."

The mother gasped, "Oh my goodness! We have a party to attend to! Do you think the power went out over there too?"

The father looked in concern and flipped open his cell phone to dial the party host's number.

"Alright, well, I'll be upstairs in my room, "Sora called, heading back upstairs.

He sat on his bed, and peeked through his blinds to get a glimpse of the condition outside. Only clouds roamed the sky, and a fog of light would occasionally flash within in the distance.

_Great, a thunder storm..._

He peered over to Kairi's window and saw that only darkness immersed in the creases of the blinds. He furrowed his eyebrows and dropped back on the bed.

_She's a big girl, she can handle it._

----------Flashback----------

_Thunder boomed throughout the house, rattling the abstract pictures mounted on the walls, as well as antiques. Little Kairi shrieked in terror as tears streamed down her eyes. Sora awoke suddenly to the cry and rushed over to Kairi's room. He saw a ball of blanket upon the mattress, quivering uncontrollably. He walked over and sat beside the bundle._

_"Kairi, it's okay. Thunder's not going to hurt you," little Sora reassured._

_"B-But, it's-s... l-loud.. It's s-s-scaring m-me.." she sobbed, pulling the blanket over her head. _

_Sora looked at her, placing a hand over her head. "It's okay, I'm here."_

_Kairi's big blue eyes looked up, tears falling, but a comforting smile was forming._

_BOOM!_

_Kairi jumped into Sora's arms as the loud crack shook the whole house. Sora held on, calming down the quivering girl, until her fidgets and sobs died down. The thunder continued as Kairi drifted into Sora's tiny arms. Both laid back on the mattress and fell into a deep slumber, ignoring the roars of the outside._

----------End Flashback----------

Sora snapped out of it when the parents entered the room with the flashlight.

"Well, it seems the party is still going on, since the power-outage didn't affect them. We'll be leaving now, alright? Call us if you need anything, " the father said as he closed the door and escorted his wife outside. Sora sighed at the thought of being home alone, once again. His parents were always out, but they weren't neglectful. He turned on his stomach and smushed his face into his pillow, waiting for anything interesting to happen.

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Kairi lay silently in her bundle, when she could hear low rumbles approaching slowly from the outside. She jolted up, peering outside her window, wishing it wasn't what she thinks it is. Unfortunately, it was. A crooked line of light flashed down in the distance, accompanied by a low rumble. She gasped, panicking even more.

_Calm down Kairi. It's just thunder, it's not going to hurt you..._

She curled up once again in her blanket, hoping to fall asleep before the thunder had arrived, but not a hint of sleepiness came. The rumbles and booms started to get louder. She shut her eyes tight, trying not to think of the weather outside, instead, she tried again to fall asleep. It failed miserably when a fairly loud boom roared. She curled even tighter, trying to fight back her tears, when she saw a bright light flash through the fabrics.

**BOOM!**

Kairi shrieked, covering up her ears with her hands and eyes tightly shut, trickling tears out. It wasn't working, the cracks and bangs kept coming even louder and louder, causing Kairi to shrink and cry even more.

_I can't stand it! I'm too scared of thunder... Now I'll never be able to get any sleep..._

----------Flashback----------

_In his arms, Kairi slowly felt the warmth from within her tiny chest and drifted into a peaceful slumber. When she awoke to the sunlight shining on her face, a little Sora slept soundly beside her. Kairi's eyes dragged, and pulled herself closer to the sleeping boy, feeling the warmth that protected her through the thunderstorm._

----------End Flashback----------

**BOOM! CRACK!**

Kairi shrieked, yet again in terror as the roars rattled the entire house. Her eyes now welled up with water, sliding down her face.

_Please, someone! Anyone!_

She uncurled herself and reached for her cell phone in her bag. Dialing the only person she could call, she tried her best to cover up the cowardice voice.

"Hello?" Sora answered.

"Sora, get your butt over here," Kairi demanded, trying to put on a tough-guy act.

"Don't tell me, Kairi, that you're still afraid of thunder, "Sora asked contently.

"No, I'm not, " she lied, trying not to stutter. "It's just boring being alone in the house."

**BOOM!!!**

Sora faintly heard an 'eek' from the caller and snickered.

"Yeah, whatever fraidy-cat, " Sora mocked.

"I'm not! It just surprised me, that's all..." she lied.

"Whatever, I'm home alone too. I'll be over in a bit," Sora answered, ending the connection.

Kairi, for some reason, didn't feel a relief of tension at all. The roars only made it worse, as she ran downstairs and waited on the couch for Sora to come by. He finally came after waiting a torturing ten minutes of loud booms and crashes. Kairi let him in, struggling to keep a brave front and wiped her eyes. Sora looked over at her, like she had cancer or something.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay? Because if you die of a heart attack, I'd better not be the one going to jail for it," he simply said.

Kairi nodded, "Yeah, I'll be fine. Just, stay here with me."

Sora felt the same familiar twinge from before, but this time, it was stronger. He ignored and tried his best not to trip over anything in the dark. Every time a boom of thunder came, Kairi shifted, trying to keep in her shrieks. Sora always notices things that Kairi tries to hide, and ends up doing something about it, whether he notices or not. Sitting themselves on the long couches in the living room, awkward silence and the occasional booms followed. Kairi was scared out of her skin. Sora was just plain bored.

"Well?" Sora asked out of nowhere.

Kairi averted her attention from her knees. "Well what?"

"Are we just going to sit here and do nothing?" he asked irritably.

"Well, what can we do? The lights are out and we can't see a thing! " Kairi answered.

**CRACK!**

Kairi shifted rapidly, trying to keep in her tears. Sora looked over to her, even though it was dark, he knew where she was.

"Look, Kairi, when are you going to stop with the tough-guy act?" Sora started.

"I-I'm not putting on a tough-guy act," she lied miserably.

"Really...?" he asked contently. "I still know you're afraid of thunder. You can't hide it."

"I'm not afraid anymore! That was a long time ago!" Kairi exclaimed.

"Tch, whatever, " he countered lazily.

Kairi shrunk, and curled herself into a, upright ball. Silence again followed, and got on Sora's last nerve. He decided to spice up things a bit, so he silently crept over to Kairi while her head was still down and let out a small "boo!"

"Eeeeek!!!!" she yelled, falling backwards. Sora busted out in laughter as Kairi regained her posture, red in the face.

"Sora you damn jerk!" she yelled, slamming a pillow on him. Sora stopped laughing and put on a grin.

"Oh, it's on, "he said, and grabbed the nearest pillow and fought back. It was a pillow fight in the dark, while thunder boomed outside.

"You're the one who started it!" Kairi cried, whapping Sora in the face.

"You're the one who's being a baby!" he countered, slamming a pillow on her side.

"Well, you're the jerk who's immature!"

"And you're the tomboy with no qualities!"

**BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Kairi screamed, covering her ears, tears that were held back began to stream down. She sobbed and hiccupped, trying to fight it back, but it just won't go away. Sora let go of his pillow and watched in the direction Kairi was in.

"Hmph, I told you you're still afraid, " he said, sitting beside her.

"I... I hate... thunder..." she sobbed.

"You don't think I know that?" he sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"H-How.. can you.. n-not be... scared?" Kairi stuttered.

He looked over to her, but didn't answer. A bright light flashed through the windows.

**BOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!!!**

Kairi buried her face into Sora's chest and quivered, grasping on to the back of his shirt, sobbing uncontrollably. Sora felt the tears drip, and placed a hand on her back. The twinge came back in his chest, much stronger than the last.

"Kairi, get up, "Sora said, placing both hands on her shoulders, attempting to have her face him.

"No!!!" she cried, pulling herself closer to him. "Please, please don't..."

He felt the tears well down in his chest. The unrhythmic breathing pattern heated his neck as she hiccupped and sobbed.

"Y-You're the only... only one.. who p-protected me... during that th-thunderstorm..." she finally said, fighting back her tears and held on tighter. Sora remembered it all too well, like it was yesterday. Kairi felt strong arms wrap around her tightly. He closed his eyes and continued to calm down the quivering Kairi. She held on, sobs dying down, and felt that familiar warmth beginning to swell within her.

"You're still a baby..." said Sora, feeling his heart skip a beat.

Kairi's eyes drooped, until the warmth from within overtook her into sleep.

"I'm...sorry..."

Kairi awoke to the sound of birds chirping nearby, and streaks of sunlight leaked through the blinds of the windows.

_Badump... Badump... Badump... Badump..._

A beating sound came from which her head rested on, and found herself lying on Sora's chest. She turned her drooping eyes, looking at his sleeping face resting on the pillows. Examining his peaceful expression, she felt like she could breathe again. Heat rushed within her, and caused her to fall back asleep on Sora's beating chest, remembering the comforting words little Sora said to her that one stormy night.

_"It's okay, I'm here..."_

**End Chapter 4**

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A/N: o Awww! How sweet! So how did you guys like it? Please review and I'll post Chapter 5 very soon! Thank you for reading! 3


	5. Help

A/N: Hello! Thanks for reviewing guys! I was going to upload this the very next day, but my internet keeps screwing up. Sorry for the wait. I hope I didn't override the cotton factory with too much fluff! xD Here's Chapter 5, enjoy!

I do no own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does.

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**Chapter 5**

Kairi's mother came home to find her daughter and Sora sleeping on the couch. At first, she was about to scream, but thought about the thunderstorm last night and decided to put it off for now. She nudged the two awake and urged them both to get ready quickly, for they had school to attend in thirty minutes. Sora immediately rushed home, getting dressed and sped outside to wait for Kairi. She came rushing also, with a piece of bread stuck in her mouth and trot off with Sora. Kairi took a bite on occasions as she paced alongside Sora. She heard a grumble nearby and looked at him.

"Hungry?" she snickered.

"No," he bluntly replied.

"Really? Are you sure?" she teased, waving the half eaten bread in front of him.

He snatched it quickly and took a big bite. He had hoped that Kairi would go off and have a cow, but instead, she kept walking alongside, with out complaining or anything. She didn't even have a mug expression on! Something weird is going on. They reached the train station and traveled to Sunset Hill.

"How come you aren't yelling at me for stealing your bread?" he asked, taking another bite.

"I owe you for last night," she replied.

He finished the last of the bread and swiped his hands together, causing crumbs to fall off.

"Yeah, you do, not to mention the piggyback ride and helping you into the train when you got shoved off, "he added.

Kairi sighed, rolling her eyes as they made their way out of the train car. "Look, I told you that those things weren't my fault."

"Pfft, "Sora snickered."Whatever, you still owe me no matter what."

She gave up, not believing that there's actually a person walking right next to her and continued on to school. The same routine followed as usual. Thursday wasn't really an exciting day, but tomorrow would be another story. Classes zipped by and new information took up more room in each of the students' brains. The final bell rang, and the students filed out to go home. Sora attended to the usual tree to wait for Kairi. She did come out, but with the happiest expression Sora has ever seen. She dashed down the stairs and screeched in front of Sora. He lifted an eyebrow.

"What's up with you?" he asked, staring at how jumpy she was.

"C'mon, let's hurry and get home! I want to start gift-wrapping Selphie's present!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Sora curved an eyebrow. "Get a hold of yourself, ditz. It's 2:00. You have, like, more than seven hours."

Kairi ignored the comment and sweetly smiled, "Well, it's not only that, I want to dress nice for tomorrow!"

Sora's heart gave a jump as her smile pierced through him. The twinge came back, this time, as though his heart had been struck by an arrow. He turned the other way, hiding the pinkness in his cheeks.

"Well, whatever. Just come on," said Sora and walked ahead. Kairi followed behind without a word. The walk was silent, yet, Sora felt a warming aura coming from behind. He peered over his shoulder to find Kairi smiling while putting her hand on her chin. Sora turned back around, not believing the person following behind is actually a person. The walk was exceptionally quick, and the train ride back home wasn't all too bad, except for the usual crowded-ness. Kairi practically skipped home, while Sora watched with ashamed eyes. She was in the house before Sora was even halfway up the street. He sighed, saying over and over about how much of a ditz Kairi was and proceed into his house.

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Kairi grabbed rolls of lime green wrapping paper and sped upstairs, taking Selphie's gift out of the bag. It was squishy bear that looked like a bear and a rabbit combined with a snow hat up top. Apparently, the stuffed animal was called "Mashimaro", according to the tag. Kairi spread out the roll onto her bed, predicting just enough paper to wrap the gift up. With a crumple here and a snip there, she taped the openings shut and topped it off with a shiny green bow. Taking a blank envelope with a warm greeting card in side, Kairi wrote in it and sealed the message. She placed the left over rolls of paper back in the downstairs closet and examined the wrapped gift, as if she had just created a piece of art. She smiled warmly at her work and proceeded to her closet to pick the perfect outfit. It was done in less then an hour. She sprawled the clothes on her bed, inspecting her picks. It wasn't much, but it made quite an outfit. It was a fleece white one piece that acted as a sweater and a dress that stopped halfway above her knees. If she wore it, it would hug at the side of her arms, revealing the shoulders and neck. Along with it was matching knee-high boots that sagged a bit towards the top. The chosen accessories were fairly big silver hoop earrings and a silver chain. She picked one silver ring with a pink heart on it and left it at that. Smiling triumphantly, her gaze turned towards the clock that read '4:30'.

_Wow, I still have a lot of time. Hehe, I'm really excited!_

She grabbed a towel from the closet nearby and entered the bathroom to take a quick shower.

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Sora sat, Indian-style on his bed, with the purchased bracelets just lying there. He seemed to be thinking about something.

_How in the world do you wrap this thing?_

He got up and rummaged through the closet to find silver wrapping paper and tossed it on the bed. He tried countless times, trying to wrap the gift, as to not giving away its appearance.

He tried again.

_No._

And again.

_No._

And again.

_No!_

And one last time.

_NO! Oh for crissake..._

He threw the crumpled rolls of paper back in the closet and lay on his bed. The bracelets toppled on each other as he set it beside his lamp.

_Crap, what can I do??_

"Well, there is ONE thing you can do..."

He turned over furiously.

_No! There's no way I'm asking that ditz for help again..._

"Think about it, do you have any other bright ideas?"

_Hell if I know..._

"Then get off your ass and ask her for help!"

He sighed in defeat and sat upright, peering through his window to Kairi's window. The blinds were drawn back and her room appeared to be deserted, but the light was on. Suddenly, Kairi walked in, only bearing a towel around her slender, ivory body. Sora's face exploded in heat and just stared. Kairi felt a disturbing presence and turned to her window, to see a red faced Sora staring right at her. Her face bloomed pinkish and rushed over to draw the blinds over. Her heart raced as the blinds secured the window.

_That pervert!!!_

After she finished changing, the furiously drew her blinds back and slammed open the window to Sora who had his back to Kairi. His head hung low, as to conceal the red in his face. Kairi called infuriatingly.

"What the hell, you pervert!" she screamed.

He whirled around, relieved to see she had clothes on.

"Don't blame me you weirdo! You're the one who forgot to draw the blinds!" Sora fought back.

"Why are you even looking into my room in the first place?!" she asked hastily.

"Because I need your help!" he replied loudly.

"What is it this time??" she whined.

He looked back over to the bracelets. "How the heck do you wrap bracelets?"

Kairi looked at him with scrunched eyebrows.

"What are you, a caveman? You don't wrap them, you put them in a bag," Kairi answered.

"Well I don't have a bag. At least, not a fit one for it, "he complied.

"Use the store's bag," Kairi suggested.

"I don't want her to know where I got it from," said Sora.

Kairi sighed, at how unbelievable this guy is. First he's a peeping tom, and now he's a guy asking for help. What else will he turn into? She whirled around and shuffled through her closet, finding a small, green gift bag designed with white stars. She checked to see if the greeting card attached had anything written on it. No writing whatsoever was found. She also found white tissue paper and ripped up a piece to make the bag interesting and fluffy. She headed back towards the window and held up the bag for Sora's approval.

"Give it here," he said. Kairi tossed it across, landing in Sora's hands. He plopped the bracelets in, and examined how it looked. It looked quite nice actually.

"Is it okay?" Kairi called.

"Yeah. Thanks," said Sora and placed the small gift upon his wardrobe. Wow, it was the first time Sora ever thanked Kairi in a long time. Kairi didn't notice, as she combed her damp hair in front of the giant oval mirror. Sora looked back at her activity, wondering why girls do these things. Sure, Sora runs his hand through his hair, but never combs it. Why? It refuses to go down and just sticks up, even in the shower. It was the same with his cousin, Roxas. He laid one elbow on the sill and rested his chin on it, watching Kairi brush with elegance. She felt the disturbing presence again and peered in the reflection in the mirror.

"Quit watching me, it's freaky, "inputted Kairi.

"Why do you girls do these kinds of things?" Sora asked, still watching as the brush slid down auburn strands.

"Because, they want to keep themselves nice and tidy. Unlike some boys," she implied.

"Hah! You? Tidy? In your dreams maybe," mocked Sora.

"I am tidy! Unlike you, your rooms a pigsty!" she growled, continuing to brush her hair.

"That's how boys are. And, if I remember clearly, you used to be a tomboy yourself, "he added.

Kairi whirled around, the damp hair swaying to the back. "Since when?"

"Since I've ever known you. You were the weirdest girl I've ever met. You weren't afraid of bugs, you liked sports and didn't cry whenever you get injured. You even watched football with our dads for crying out loud!!" he said making a point.

Kairi turned back towards the mirror and kept brushing. "I'm just different."

"Psh," Sora lazily said. "Yeah, WAY too different."

That's it. Sora had just got on Kairi's last nerve.

"Then stop talking to me you idiot," she screeched and slid the window shut, drawing the blinds over. He sighed as Kairi's angry face disappeared by the rectangular covers and slumped over the window sill.

_Geez, why are girls so complicated?_

The night went by, homework was done, and the two patiently waited for Friday morning to come in their sleep.

**End Chapter 5**

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A/N: xD Sora's a pervert... Review please, and thank you for reading! I'll post Chapter 6 up real soon! 3


	6. Selphie's Party

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for the amusing reviews! xD I really appreciate it that you guys like this story a lot! In all honesty, this chapter was the most entertaining to write! So I hope you'll like it too, and enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does.

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**Chapter 6**

Morning greeted, and the routine went by smoothly. School wasn't any special either. Same old teachers lecturing while the students took down notes. Time passed as though father time rotated the long hand rapidly to 2:00, signaling the students to go home and enjoy their weekend. Sora walked casually to the waiting spot, watching the students talk excitedly about their weekend and put away his earphones when Selphie, Yuna, Tidus, and Olette walked down the steps and approached Sora.

"Yay! Tonight's going to be fun!" Selphie exclaimed. "Be sure to be there around 7:30 to 8:30!"

Olette and Yuna giggled while Tidus walked from behind.

"She keeps reminding the others more than five times," Tidus whispered to Sora when Selphie was out of range.

He chuckled softly when Yuna slightly knocked him on the head.

"C'mon Tidus! She's really excited!" Yuna persuaded. Tidus sighed as Yuna waved good-bye to Sora. He bade farewell and continued to wait for Kairi. She finally came out, looking normal as ever.

"Let's get going. Selphie's birthday is tonight," Sora said turning his back.

"I know. You don't have to remind me, since she announced it five times during lunch," Kairi reassured.

Sora led the way, Kairi followed behind, in the same old fashion. They boarded the train and walked on towards home, ignoring the bustle and noise from each district. The birds peeped silently in the bundles of leaves as the two strolled past the parks. It felt... pleasant. Wait, that's unusual. A walk between these two never turned out pleasant, and yet, today, of all days, happened to be... abnormally pleasant. Sora walked on as if nothing even mattered, with Kairi sightseeing behind him as usual. The two turned a corner and walked up the sidewalks, passing neighbors and mailboxes. Kairi started towards her doorstep.

"Call me when you're ready," Sora said before he strode pass his small walkway.

"Right," she replied, and headed to her room. Her outfit sprawled itself upon her bed with the gift on her dresser. The time read '2:20'.

_I still have a lot of time._

Her bag dropped next to the oak desk, and double-checked the window, making sure the blinds weren't revealing anything. She couldn't bear what happened _last_ time. The water ran loudly as the steam arose from the shower walls. Outside, the sky turned from blue to orange to a dark purple within hours. Kairi glanced at the clock as her rings slid on those small, delicate fingers. "7:00" she said, and hulled her purse, shuffling through to find her cell phone. She flipped it open and dialed.

"Hello?"

"Sora, I'm ready. Are you?" Kairi asked.

"Geez, about time. Yeah, I'll be there in a second, "he said impatiently. She closed the phone, grabbed Selphie's present and made her way downstairs to find her mother wiping the glass tables. The mother glanced up at her beautiful daughter and smiled.

"Be careful, okay? Call home if you need anything," she said.

Kairi nodded and smiled as well. "I will."

_Ding Dong!_

"Okay, mom. I'll be back in a little bit."

She pecked her mother's cheek and walked out closing the door behind her. Hugging the present tightly, she noticed Sora's outfit, which was a tight black short sleeve with denim pants and black chucks. Only a crown chain occupied his neck as his present for the birthday girl hung around fairly toned arms, which were in his pockets.

"That's what you're wearing?" Sora asked, eyeing her from top to bottom, hiding the fact he thought she was actually pretty-looking.

Kairi pouted. "Yeah, what's it to you?"

"Aren't you going to be a bit cold?" he blatantly asked.

She shook her head, "Thanks for your concern, but I think I'll survive."

Sora grunted. "Hmph, fine, suit yourself. Don't blame me if you catch a cold."

Kairi ignored and proceeded to walk in the direction to Selphie's house. The gradient, orange and purple sky loomed over as the pair made their way through the closing districts. Crickets suddenly began to chirp, and the warm breeze of air slowly wafted by. Leaves danced upon in trails, and lamplights flickered brightly on the sidewalks. Less and less people walked the streets as the time neared to about half past seven.

"It should be here somewhere," said Kairi, inspecting the lit houses after turning a corner.

Sora peered around, scanning each house number for '9774'.

"Found it," he said, pointing to a rather cozy-looking house with lights on in the bottom half. Both marched up the step and rang the doorbell. A quick patter of footsteps could be heard, and then a familiar squeal muffled from behind the dark brown door. It swung open to reveal a launch attack by Selphie on Kairi.

"Thank you guys so much for coming!!!" she screeched, tightly hugging Kairi.

"Haha, it's no problem at all..." said Kairi, who nudged Sora to say something.

"Er, yeah. Glad we could come," he managed to say as Selphie landed one on him too.

"Well, don't just stand there! Get in here!" she beckoned, closing the door behind and rushing to the living room. Sora and Kairi followed diligently, placing their presents next to the pile of gifts on the table. They found themselves a crowd of people in one room, old and new faces alike.

"Let me introduce you guys! Sora, Kairi, meet Leon, Aerith, Cloud, Tifa, Yuffie, Cid, and Lulu!" she excitedly said as her finger pointed to each new face. Kairi waved shyly, Sora simply greeted with a simple "Hi". The group, meaning Hayner, Olette, Yuna, Tidus, Wakka, Riku, Roxas and Naminé also occupied the room. A total of seventeen people attended this party.

"Alright! Time to get this party started!" Yuffie, a black-haired girl with auburn eyes exclaimed. The crowd cheered.

"Well, what do you want to do, birthday girl?" Aerith calmly asked.

Selphie raised an arm to her chin and thought long and hard.

"Hey! How about karaoke?" she suggested. The group agreed excitedly and set-up the magic mic. The song list book passed around rapidly, as each person or pair scanned the pages as to what to sing. It was really entertaining actually, discovering Hayner and Olette had a voice as they sang a duet. Everyone laughed and sang along, when Riku went up to his solo after the two.

"Haha, go Riku!!" Kairi cheered. Riku began to sing, with an exceptional and suave voice that could make any girl melt. After the applause, Selphie grabbed the mic and spoke," Okay, since were having such a goodtime, EVERYONE has to sing! Got that? I want to hear at least everyone sing once!" she announced. An unsteady moan and groan came from the group, but suck it up, since it was Selphie's birthday. Aerith sang a beautiful slow jam that made the group sway. Cloud's singing wasn't that bad at all actually, just fix the key tone and everything's peachy. Tifa had a strong voice, making the group cheer loudly. Cid sang a country song, which caused an uproar of laughter. Tidus and Yuna sang a wonderful duet, excluding Tidus's mess up in the lyrics. Selphie took her turn and sang energetically, yet, almost deafening. Yuffie was very enthusiastic in her singing, and got the highest score out of all of them! Wakka seriously didn't know any of the lyrics to whatever song he picked, but Lulu helped him out a bit. Naminé and Roxas both went up for a duet. It was sweet and melodic, like every love song should be. Everyone was surprised at how close Naminé and Roxas's faces were, and giggled tauntingly at the couple. The last pair put down the mic and everyone focused on Sora and Kairi.

"Wh-what's everyone looking at?" Sora asked uneasily.

"Hehe! What do you think?" Hayner grinned.

"Are you two going to do a duet?" Yuffie asked excitedly.

Sora and Kairi looked at each other and frowned.

"Psh, no way! I'm singing solo!" Kairi rejected, getting up to the mic. The crowed wooed as she smiled diligently. Her fingers pressed the buttons and the title rolled onto the screen. Kairi began to sing at the beat.

Once she finished, the crowd stared in awe, and, within a few moments, the house exploded with cheering. Clapping, whistling, and yelling practically made Kairi deaf.

"Wow Kairi! That was great! Your voice is so sweet!" Olette praised.

"It was so serene and pretty! It almost made me want to cry!" Naminé clapped.

"Have you ever considered going on television?" Cid asked, putting a thumbs up. Kairi chuckled sheepishly at the praise. Sora, on the other hand, looked down to avoid any eyes. In his mind, Kairi kept singing that song, over and over with that sweet and beautiful voice. He's always heard Kairi sing when he was little, but since the maturity overtook her, that childish voice has developed into the most gorgeous voice he's ever heard. His heart did a summersault as Kairi sat beside him, smiling.

"It's your turn!" she reminded, happy as can be.

"Pfft, no way am I going to make a fool of myself in front of you guys," Sora responded, sluggishly laying back.

"Awww, Sora you party-pooper! Get your butt up there! Everyone else had to sing!" Yuffie exclaimed.

"Yeah! That's not fair to the rest of us, especially to the birthday girl!" Wakka added.

"Alright alright! Geez, I'm going," Sora contorted and slowly got up in front of the group, grasping the mic in hand. He thought for a moment and pushed the buttons on the mic. The title glided across the screen. A slow trinket-like melody started playing, and Sora started singing.

The crowd was, again, speechless. Even Kairi was staring with her jaw wide open. Sora cleared his throat, begging someone to say something. The group yelled loudly, causing an even more deafened Kairi and Sora to jump out of their skins.

"That was awesome! Way to go Sora!" Roxas cheered.

"Yay Sora! You're voice was so beautiful!" Olette cheered.

"I didn't know you had that kind of voice!" Leon called over the whistles and claps.

Sora blushed uncomfortably, when he noticed a beautiful smile on a Kairi, who was clapping. He couldn't believe it. Kairi? Smiling at him? CLAPPING? The red in his face grew stronger as he sat down beside her.

"Wow, I didn't know you could sing like that," said Kairi.

Sora looked down, averting Kairi's eyes. "Well, yeah. There's a lot you don't know about me, I guess..."

"Okay, people! We've spent too much time on karaoke! It's time for the fun and games to happen!" Selphie announced, jolting up. Lulu stood up immediately, bowing in respect and taking her black and purple purse upon her arm.

"I have to go, Selphie. I apologize, it's a senior meeting at school being held. Surely you remembered, right?" she said apologetically. Selphie eyes mutated into puppy ones.

"Awww, okay, I understand. Thank you for coming Lulu! Hold on, wait," she said, peering over at the others. Just as she thought, Aerith, Cloud, Tifa, Cid, and Leon got up on cue.

"You guys are leaving too?" Naminé asked, sitting herself on the couch.

Leon nodded," We're sorry we can't stay longer."

"We hope you guys have a lot of fun!" Aerith warmly said.

"And keep the games clean, Selphie, you hear?" Cid called.

Selphie giggled,"Hehe, right right. Okay, I'll see you guys later! Thank you so much for coming!" The birthday girl skipped to the front and led them outside, waving a last good-bye after shutting the door. She lightly jogged to where the usual group sat, and smiled warmly.

"Well, now that we're down by six people, we now have eight left! It's still enough to play my fun games!" she announced. The group looked a bit uneasy whenever she said the word "games".

"So, what are we playing first?" Riku asked.

"Spin the Bottle: Selphie Style!!" Selphie answered loud enough for the couch to overturn. The group looked at each other.

"What's Selphie Style?" Roxas asked, curving an eyebrow. Selphie smiled maliciously.

"Well, you all know the spin the bottle game, right? Well, it's a lot like that, except, you will have to draw your dares."

Selphie pulled out a black-top hat that appeared to be her father's.

"In the hat, there are three colored pieces of paper. You draw one of these pieces of paper to begin the game. The colors are red, blue, and yellow. Red is a varied dare, meaning the spinner chooses the dare. Blue is 'Seven Minutes in Heaven'. I'm pretty sure you all have played that before," Selphie snickered. No wonder the closet in the room was open. It appeared to be a bit crowded from all of the objects in there. "And finally, the Yellow one is 'Pocky Five'."

Everyone looked at each other.

"What's 'Pocky Five'? Naminé asked. Selphie knew this question would come, and revealed two boxes: One with strawberry-coated pockys and the other with chocolate-coated pockys.

"I made it up myself! Here's what you do, "she began, displaying the two boxes. "Two people are picked from the spinning bottle. The spinner gets to choose each persons' role. Person number one has to hold the pocky in there mouth, and they can not chew it or eat it yet. Person number two has to take five turns, slowly eating the pocky until no one san see the pocky anymore from person number one's mouth. One piece of pocky bitten off is one count. On the fifth count, both persons' lips have to touch and stay there for five seconds. That is why I call it Pocky Five!"

Everyone looked at each other, blushing in a variety of reds. Selphie puckered a lip and scrunched up her brows.

"Don't back down on me now, guys! You all agreed to play by my games!" she reminded. They all sighed in unison, which implied "Fine, but I don't know if I'll like it."

"Er, Selph, what if you pick two guys? Do they have to kiss? I don't think I want to kiss a guy with pocky in the mouth..." Tidus asked with a weirded-out look on his face.

"Haha, of course not!" Selphie reassured, making the guys all sigh in relief.

The girls smirked at each other, giggling like little chicks. The hyper-active birthday girl went into the next room, and came speeding back with an empty coke bottle. Everyone scooted up in a disoriented circle, impatiently waiting for the game to start. Selphie knelt down with a 'thump!'. She drew a paper out of the hat and unfolded it to find the color yellow scribbled on it. Her face lit up as she spun the bottle with force. Faces were intense, some covered it with their hands to hide the blush or to try and make the bottle not pick them, some watching it immensely, wondering who it will land on. The bottle kept spinning, spinning, spinning..spinning...spinning...spinning...spinning...spinning...when it came to a stop. The open end pointed to the blushing blonde girl with blue eyes, who covered her mouth after a gasp leaked out. Naminé stared at the bottled as it lied in the middle, pointing to her. Everyone looked to one another, wondering who the other person will be.

"Naminé, you lucky girl! I wonder who the lucky guy will be!" Selphie squealed childishly, spinning the bottle again with much more force than the last.

It kept twirling, twirling, twirling, twirling, twirling...twirling...twirling...twirling...twirling...twirling... until it slowed down to the other chosen. His blue eyes grew wide and went red in the face. Roxas's face turned into a cherry while looking at the open end of bottle, making sure it's not some kind of hoax. He looked up to a pinkish Naminé, who sat on the comfy couch. Everyone 'Ooooooooooed' at the two, as Selphie announced.

"Okay, Roxas and Naminé! The dare is 'Pocky Five'!"

Their color on their faces deepened even more.

"Naminé, I want you to be the person number one! Just hold the pocky until Roxas has eaten the last of the visible parts, " she reminded.

"Ehmm, o-okay..." she said sheepishly.

"And Roxas will be person number two! Which one do you prefer?" she asked, showing the two pocky boxes. He hesitated for a moment, looking at Sora for help.

"C'mon, Roxas! We have other victims!" Selphie laughed. He examined each box, trying to stall as much as he could.

"S-Strawberry," Roxas gulped, hoping that Naminé wasn't in anyway disgusted with the flavor.

"Okay!" Selphie yelled, taking one stick of pocky out, gesturing Naminé to say 'Awwww!'. The flushed girl held the pocky in between her pearly white teeth behind pink lips, twittling her fingers. Roxas got up and plopped beside Naminé who turned an even deeper red. Everyone watched with intensity, as Roxas slowly turned towards Naminé. She faced him, and tried not to faint.

"Okay, Roxas! Go for it!" charged Selphie.

Roxas slowly took the first bite.

"One!" Everyone called.

He took the second.

"Two!" cried everyone in unison.

He took the third, getting closer to Naminé's flushed face.

"Three!"

He took the fourth, almost an inch away form her pink lips.

"Four!!"

He shut his eyes, fighting the red in his face, and inched closer, closer, and closer, until he came to an angelic kiss.

"Five!" Everyone yelled deafly. Naminé kept the pocky in her mouth, while Roxas held on to the other end, closely together. Intense heat arose from both of their faces. His heart skipped a beat, as he felt the warmth from smooth, plump skin and whiffed the aroma of peaches and vanilla. He opened his eyes, to see if it was really Naminé who's kissing him. Indeed it was, and she looked quite beautiful close up. Her lashes elegantly curled on rosy cheeks as her bright blonde hair gently laid upon those closed eyes. A rush of warmth engulfed him as he closed his eyes again, bearing the kiss for five more seconds.

"Time's up!" Selphie called, shoving her hands in the air. Roxas crunched the last visible piece of pocky and ate it sheepishly. Naminé turned the other way, chewing it slowly while putting her hands on her reddened cheeks. "Awwwwwww!!!!" came from the girls, and "Ooooooooooooo!!!!" came from the guys. Yelps, hollers, and cheers bounced everywhere, leading to laughter and playful taunting.

"Okay, okay!" Selphie intervened, calming down the group. "Naminé was picked by the bottle first! So draw!"

Naminé bent over, reaching into the hat, shuffling for folded pieces of paper, and pulled one out. The color revealed a red. She spun the bottle with her small hands. The first chosen was Wakka. The second chosen was Riku. Since they were both boys, Naminé just had them shake hands. Wakka drew out of the hat next and pulled out another red slip. He spun the bottle vigorously. The first was Tidus, the second was Yuna.

"Hah!!! I dare you two to kiss!" Wakka immediately blurted, pointing at Tidus like he defeated him in a blitzball game. Tidus grunted as Yuna pecked him on the cheek, which turned red rapidly after. Tidus turned back and landed one on her cheek also, trying to hide the rose color in his face. The girls squealed loudly. The guys smirked at the cocky dirty blonde. Yuna giggled as Tidus stuck out a tongue at Wakka.

"You didn't say whether it was to the lips or on the cheek, so there!" fought Tidus. Wakka slumped childishly.

"Okay, next!" Selphie called, holding out the hat in front of Tidus. He shuffled through roughly until he caught a crumpled piece and revealed a yellow. He spun the bottle excitedly, until the first chosen landed on the silver-haired boy Riku, and the second landed on Roxas. The two looked at each other, with a 'yuck!' expression on their faces. Selphie laughed and took out a chocolate-coated pocky, snapped it in two and handed both one. Riku drew while he chewed a half of a pocky. The slip uncovered another yellow. He spun the bottle, until the first landed on Olette. He spun again for the second to be Hayner. Olette gasped, covering her mouth. Hayner gulped while his frown sagged under his rosy cheeks. Riku chose Olette as person one, and Hayner as person two. Hayner picked a chocolate one and braced himself for a kiss. One, crunch, two, crunch, three, crunch, four, crunch, five... crunch. The two whirled in opposite directions in embarrassment from the laughing of the crowd. Hayner went so fast, it was like he was starving on an island for a month. Olette drew a blue slip out of the hat, causing everyone's eyes to widen. She spun the bottle. Intensity floated everywhere. Everyone wondered impatiently of who and who will be locked up in a closet for seven whole minutes. It slowed to a stop on none other than Sora. He nearly jumped out of his spot when the bottle stopped in his direction. Olette giggled at the sight and spun the bottle once more. It kept spinning, spinning, spinning...spinning...spinning...spinning...until it landed on...

"Wow, luck is on the spot today!" cried Selphie.

"Haha, good luck Sora. It's seven minutes in the closet with-"

"NO! No freakin' way am I going to be locked up with Kairi for seven minutes!" Sora whined.

"Same goes with me! Who knows what he'll do to me in there!!" Kairi added. The spiky brunette whirled furiously.

"Are you calling me a pervert?!" he shouted.

"Yes, I am! Ever since THAT time!" Kairi answered. The group looked to one another, obviously asking "What time?".

"Whatever, call me what you want, ditz. I'm not going in there wi-"

Suddenly, Riku and Roxas hauled Sora by the arms and dragged him to the closet.

"What the hell are you guys doing?!" Sora cried in confusion.

"What's it look like were doing?" Riku asked slyly.

"We're just helping, that's all!" Roxas grinned, turning over to Olette and Naminé who had their hands full on Kairi.

"I thought you guys were on my side!" Kairi exclaimed, trying to resist.

"Oh, c'mon Kairi! It's not that bad!" Naminé comforted in a weird way.

"Yeah, and Sora isn't an idiot, trust me," said Olette, continuing to drag her.

Kairi looked at her in disbelief. "Olette, you have no idea how wrong you are! Sora's the biggest idiot out there! Trust ME! I know!" Kairi pleaded, resisting against the pull. The girls continued to pull the struggling auburn-headed girl to the closet, where the two boys held their best friend in place.

"Now hold on a minute! Don't you think this is really childish? I mean, who needs 'Seven Minutes in Heaven'?" Sora asked, trying to find his way out of this mess.

Roxas and Riku smirked," You do." And shoved him into the closet, followed by a stumbling Kairi after shutting the door and locking it shut. Selphie jingled the keys close to the door so the two would hear it.

"Well you two, it's seven minutes until I open up the door. Spend your time wisely!" she teased as the others listened for any trace of voice. They indeed heard a voice.

"YOU JERKS!! LET ME OUT OF HERE!! IT'S TOO CRAMPED!!!" Sora exclaimed, banging the door through the darkness as Kairi tried to adjust to a more comfortable position.

_This is just great! Why'd it have to be him! It could've been Riku for all I care! But no, it HAD to be him..._

Sora gave up the pounding and screaming after two minutes and just stood at the place where he COULD stand without stepping on anything. Kairi shifted again as something fell on her foot.

"Ow, hey Kairi, get your clown feet off my foot, " Sora said, wiggling his foot with hers on top. Sora couldn't see the scowl on her face, but he felt it. She lifted her foot, but something held it down. She didn't know what it was.

"What the heck is on my foot?" Kairi asked, making many attempts to lift up her foot fully. She couldn't bend down to feel it, since there wasn't enough room. Kairi continued struggling against the force that held her foot down.

"Oh great, now I have to stay in here with your foot on mine in se-"

**JAB!**

Kairi finally got a hold of her foot freely, but her knee hit something.

Sora jerked, biting his lips in pain as both hands cupped around his injured groin. He keeled over slowly, until he leaned on Kairi.

"What the- Sora, what in the world are you doing?" she asked impatiently as the weight got heavier each second until...

**CRASH!**

"Oh... my god... my achin'..." Sora muttered.

Kairi felt his breath, so close in her face, along with his body's force and a couple of arms extended in between her legs.

"Sora! Sora get up!! Do you realize how uncomfortable I am?! Your hands are, like, barely next to my-"

"Do I care?! You kneed me in the damn crotch you ditz!!" Sora interrupted loudly, still clutching his private parts.

"Oh my gosh, are you serious?? Sora, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it!" Kairi apologized, trying to feel around for support.

"Wh-Whatever... now you... owe me... BIG time..." Sora mumbled, suffering from the pain in his lower region. Kairi sighed in defeat, when she noticed the stream of light that leaked through the door crack. She noticed a shadow, which seemed to be feet, moving closer and closer. She panicked and placed her hands on Sora's shoulders, attempting to help him stand up.

"Owwww!! Kairi's don't do that! It still hurts you know!!!" he said loudly. They fell back in place again as Sora felt the surge of pain.

"Sora, I'm serious!!! Get up!! What if time is up and they find us here like-"

"Time's up!" Selphie shouted and opened the door immediately to find the most atrocious sight, and of course, WAY over pg-13. The group peered over the gaping Selphie and took on the same expression as her. In the closet, was a Sora in pain, desperately clutching his groin while laying right on top of Kairi, in between her legs, who had her hands on his shoulders.

"Wow, I didn't know you guys had it THAT bad for each other!" Riku exclaimed while laughing at the same time.

"Wait, hold on! It's not what it seems!!" Kairi pleaded, unable to get up.

"Are you kidding Kairi? I mean, the position you two are in, it's pretty obvious it wasn't a coincidence," Olette said.

"It was a coincidence! I'm telling you!" Kairi responded.

"Then how in the world did you two get in that position?" Roxas asked, trying to keep in his laugh.

"Kairi kicked me in the crotch!!! I keeled over in pain and fell on her!!" Sora exclaimed, lifting his head above Kairi's breasts. He obviously couldn't take this taunting anymore and shouted desperately for help. The guys laughed as they helped up Sora and walked him over slowly to the couch. Kairi immediately got up and straightened her sweater/dress. The girls looked over and giggled. Kairi frowned but blushed immensely. Sora sat down in relief, while Selphie announced the end of the games. As the group gathered around, she opened up presents from everyone, and was happy to such unique items. Cake came along, which made Sora feel a lot better and relieved him of his lower pain. The time read 9:30, and it was time for everyone to go. Everyone bid farewell to the now sixteen year-old Selphie and went on their way home. Sora and Kairi walked together in the open night. At first, you'd think it would be silent, but, actually, it was quite loud.

"I'm getting you back for what you did to me in that closet you ditz," Sora said, scrunching his eyebrows and placing his hands in his pockets.

"I said I was sorry! Or were you two busy pigging out on cake?" Kairi mocked.

"Don't call my a pig, ditz. I'll make you pay I swear," Sora angrily said.

"What, are you going to make me clean your house or something? "asked Kairi sarcastically.

"Heh, hell no! I can do that myself," Sora said, rotating his shoulders.

"Well, than what?" Kairi asked impatiently.

"I don't know," he said. "I'll think of something."

Kairi shook her head and continued to walk, not looking back at Sora. On the other hand, Sora was looking straight at her. When he was in that closet, right on top of Kairi, he felt her gentle heartbeat on his neck. The intense throb came back as he walked along the streets behind her. He hoped that no one noticed how much he had been blushing as he laid atop the beautiful girl.

_She was really close... Her face was right up to mine._

He thought for a second, then shook his head, trying not to give in to the heat in his heart, and continued to walk on with a scowl on his face. The walk back home was eerie, since the silence never seemed to leave them alone. They turned a corner and walked up to their doorsteps. With one look at each other, they growled and went inside without another word.

**End Chapter 6**

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A/N: C8, Well, how was it? I really like those two songs, so yeah, I thought I'd put them up there. And who can't resist karaoke? xD Poor Sora and Kairi, always being made fun of. I guess I'm just a horrible person D. Please review and I'll post Chapter 7, very soon! possibly tomorrow! Thanks for reading! 3 3


	7. What Friends Are For

A/N: xD Hello guys! Thanks for the awesome reviews! xD I'm also kinda worried that some of you guys think I like torturing Sora. Well, I do! xD But seriously, it's all a part of the story, and I can only promise that it will get better. And it will start to get better with this chapter! 83 Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does.

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**Chapter 7**

Sora sat comfortably on his window sill, watching the sky turn from a deep violet to orange. Looking at the clock, which read '4:37 A.M.', he sighed, trying to think of something else, other than that incident yesterday. His mind kept re-running memories of Selphie's party. The part that kept coming back was Kairi's song. Her voice was like an enchanted spell that Sora found no way out of. Her melodic voice, angelic figure, and gorgeous blue eyes, all were bewitching him. He didn't like this feeling, and yet, he did. He wondered why his heart rate increased whenever Kairi came around the corner, or when heat suddenly bloomed in his face when her sincere smile swayed him. He denied it, even the thought of it.

_No, that's impossible. I can't "like" her. I've never "liked" anyone in my life. I don't even know what "like" feels LIKE!_

His thoughts raced around as stars disappeared within the orange tint, and the sun slowly crept beside the clock tower. Sora peered over at Kairi's blank window, wondering if she was awake. His eyes drooped depressingly. He didn't know why he felt this way, but he wanted it to stop.

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Her eyes remained wide open, staring at the ceiling as memories of yesterday sped past in her head. So much has happened, in so little time. She twisted and turned on her bed, trying to at least get sleepy. Instead, she fell in a dreamy state, when Sora's voice sang that song. Her eyes blurred, as she fell into her thoughts. Kairi has never heard that kind of voice, even coming from Sora. The feeling, the heart he put into it, his expression, that smile he put on as he sang with a passion. She buried her head into the pillow, trying to stop Sora from singing, but it didn't stop. This feeling, this pain in her heart, what is it? It's not normal. At least, not for Kairi.

_I can't stop this feeling. What is it? I've never felt something like this before... I don't like it..._

She closed her eyes, and tried to clear her thoughts, but still, Sora would still sing in her mind. She gave up, listening to his voice, until the song put her soundly to sleep.

Her eyes slowly opened to be greeted by her dark room. She sat upright, yawning and rubbing her eyes while the thin streaks of sunlight leaked onto her bed. When she finally stretched enough, she reached for the blinds and drew them back, filling her room with warmth. An unexpected sight revealed itself as the blinds swayed to the side. There, sitting on the window sill, was a sleeping Sora. Kairi wondered why he slept on his window and not on his bed. She quietly opened the window, letting the light breeze come in.

"Hey, Sora," she said, trying not to be too loud or too quiet.

No reaction.

"Hello, wakey wakey...!" Kairi said, a little bit louder this time.

Still, no reaction.

"Sora, wake up!!!!" Kairi hollered, causing Sora to fall flat on his bed. He shuffled and got up quickly to see who had awoken him from his slumber. Kairi laughed as he noticed her from across.

"What the hell Kairi! Couldn't you tell I was sleeping??" Sora yelled, rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah, I could tell since you didn't react at the two times I tried to wake you," Kairi scoffed.

"Well then why did you do it?!" he angrily shouted.

"Because you were sleeping on your window! I'm surprised you haven't fallen off while you were sleeping, "replied Kairi, pulling the blankets over her feet.

"What's it to you anyway?" Sora asked, ruffling his hair. "I always do stuff like this."

Kairi winced. "Why? You couldn't fall asleep?"

"Yeah," he answered, slumping over the window.

She watched the idle boy, wondering why he's always so... strange. That feeling came back again. That pain from yesterday. No, she didn't want to give in to it, so she got up and headed downstairs, where her mother already had the table prepared with the usual delicious breakfast. Her heart-warming smile greeted her as usual, as she sat down and began feasting.

"Kairi, I'll be going out with a few friends today. Are you going out?" the mother asked, putting away the soaked dishes.

"Well, I don't know yet. I'll call you if I do. Where are you going?" asked Kairi.

Her mother untied the apron and set it on a chair. "Just having a little get together."

Kairi nodded before finishing her plate and chugged a glass of orange juice. She jogged up the stairs and closed her door, looking around the room as if expecting something to magically appear in it. Instead, something else caught her attention.

"Hey, Kairi!!"

She turned her head towards a waving Roxas and Riku. Hastily opening her window she greeted back.

"Hey guys! What are you doing in Sora's house?"

"We just wanted to know where he lived and what his house looked like," Riku responded, looking around.

"I didn't know you lived right next door to him," said Roxas.

Kairi nodded. "Yup, that's why we walk home together."

"What are you guys doing?" Sora called from the background.

"Dude, why didn't you tell us Kairi lived next door?" asked Roxas, turning his head backwards.

"Pfft, why would that be of any importance?" Sora scoffed.

Roxas and Riku sneered.

"Oh forget it," Sora intervened, not wanting to hear what they were going to say.

"So what are you guys doing today?" Kairi asked, leaning on the sill.

Riku and Roxas turned back to Kairi.

"I don't know, what is there to do on a Saturday?" Riku asked, fiddling with what looked like a pendulum.

She thought for a moment, when her cell phone rang quietly on the bedside desk. She flipped it open and spoke.

"Hello?"

"Kairi?" asked the caller.

"Naminé?" Kairi asked.

"Yeah!" Naminé confirmed.

"How did you get my number?"

"I asked Sora. Well, anyway, Kairi, how do you feel about slumber parties?"

"Slumber parties?" Kairi blinked. "Well, I've never been in one before."

"Wow, really? Because me and the rest of the girls want to throw a slumber party since its Saturday!"

Kairi smiled. She was glad to have such fun-loving friends. "That sounds great! So, whose house are we going to have it at?"

"Well," Naminé began. "That's the problem. We don't know yet. We asked Selphie's parents, but they said no because of the mess we left yesterday. We asked Olette's, but they just flat out said no. We asked Yuna's, but they said we can't since they're on a business trip. And my parent's said no because they say we'll just make too much noise. So, the only option left is you, if you want to that is."

Kairi thought a bit, and decided to call her mother. "Okay, let me ask my mom. I'll call you back."

"Okay, I'll tell the other girls what's going on," said Naminé, and the connection ended. Kairi began dialing the number to her mother's cell phone and waited for an answer.

"Hello?"

"Mom, it's me Kairi," she said. She could hear other female voices in the background too.

"Oh hi Kairi. What is it?"

"Well, I was just wondering, if my girl friends could come over, and, well, you know, have a slumber party?" she asked nervously.

"Sure dear, as long as you don't wake up the neighbors and clean up after yourselves. And no boys sleeping over, "she answered.

"Of course mom! Thanks! What time will you be home?"

"Well, I don't think I'll be home until after midnight since we're going to watch two shows in Sunset Theatre."

"Okay," Kairi nodded. "Have fun mom!"

"You too, hun. I'll see you later." The connection ended and her face bloomed with excitement. Kairi quickly dialed Naminé's number, according to the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Naminé! My mom says you guys can come over here and sleep over!" she said giddily.

"Really? That's great! Wow, your mom must be an awesome person!"

"She is!" Kairi laughed. "How about you guys come over at five so I can clean up a bit?"

"Sure! I'll tell the other girls. We'll see you at five then!"

"See ya!" Kairi bade and ended the connection. She quickly turned towards the window, where Roxas and Riku were laughing about something while Sora rummaged in his closet.

"Hey guys!" Their attention now focused on Kairi. "The girls are coming over and having a slumber party at my house at five. Do you guys want to hang out with us?"

Roxas and Riku nodded, "Sure, we have nothing to do anyways."

"Okay, I'm going to clean up the house a bit, so I'll see you guys later!" Kairi bade, and slid her window shut, pulling the blinds over.

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Roxas turned his back towards the window and leaned, as the breeze lightly played with his hair. For some reason, it looked as though he was day dreaming. Riku peered up from weird trinket he was playing with and noticed the expression on the blonde's face.

"Hey Roxas, you okay?" asked Riku, setting down the toy.

The blonde snapped out of his dream. "Huh? Uh, yeah. I'm good."

Sora turned away from the closet and set his gaze upon his cousin. He indeed looked a bit troubled about something, like someone said or did something to him. Sora stood up and sat on the bed edge alongside his friends.

"Dude, don't lie. We both know you too well to know something's up," Sora said reassuringly.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Sora's right," Riku chuckled.

Roxas gave a weak smile, glad to have the friends he had. His smile soon grew into an awkward one. His eyebrows sagged as he began to speak.

"Well, you guys remember Selphie's party yesterday, right?" he asked, looking down at his hands.

"Of course we do! That's the time when Sora and Kairi got it on," Riku said inconsiderably, before Sora slugged him on the arm.

Roxas laughed," Haha yeah, well, do you also remember the games we played?"

Sora didn't know where this was going and impatiently asked, "Okay Roxas, spill it. What's up?"

The blonde began to blush while ruffling his blonde hair.

"Well, I think I like Kairi's best friend, "he admitted.

Sora and Riku looked at each other, eyebrows up high.

"No way, you mean Naminé?" Sora asked surprisingly.

Roxas nodded. "Yeah..."

Riku put on a cool face. "It was the dare you guys did yesterday, wasn't it?"

Roxas nodded once again, like he was defeated in a game. "Like, I don't know what happened, but I just feel like, you know, seeing her on occasions. It's weird, I feel like a stalker..."

Sora and Riku laughed out loud at Roxas's comment and regained oxygen after about a good two minutes of laughing.

"Haha, dude, you're not a stalker, you just like her," Riku said, wiping a tear form his eye. Roxas frowned sheepishly.

"But that's great, man. She is pretty cute. Whenever I see Kairi, she's always around. She's a good person, unlike her best friend," Sora added, not succeeding in trying to prove a point.

"Hey, c'mon Sora. Kairi's a great friend too," Roxas replied laughing.

"Hmph, not to me she isn't," Sora pouted.

"Well anyway, Roxas, you immediately fell for her after one kiss?" Riku asked, putting his hand on his chin like he was some college genius.

"Actually," Roxas said. "Okay, can I trust you guys not to laugh?" he asked before continuing his sentence. The two nodded, listening to every word he would speak.

"Okay, well, when Kairi first introduced her, I kinda fell for that smile she always gave. Like, I'd feel all weird and warm inside. She was always nice to me, and I kind of liked it when she offered to sing with me on that duet yesterday. I don't know guys, Naminé's just been on my mind a lot. I don't want to be all obsessive-like and have her hate me or something. The last thing I want is for her to hate me. Being friends is good enough."

"Wow," Riku said. "Those have got to be the corniest things I've ever heard in my life."

Sora nudged him in the arm at the lame comment. "It's cool Roxas. I could see why you'd like her. I'm guessing you haven't told her how you felt?"

Roxas jerked back. "Hell no! That'd be the last thing I'd do! I don't want to ruin what we have right now! I know it's only been a week since I met her, but the feeling won't leave me alone."

Riku laid back on the pillows. "Well, I think you should just tell her, you know? 'Cause once you've got that feeling, it won't go away until you know the other's feelings."

Riku was exactly right. He has never fallen in love before, but he remembered a girl who had the same feeling, and was rejected by him. Riku knew all too well how feelings work, and does his best to work it out.

Sora also absorbed Riku's words, wondering why a strange pain in his heart formed.

"I know, but, I just can't do that. I've never done something like this before. I'm kind of a wimp, 'cause I'm afraid she won't like me back, " Roxas admitted, turning to Riku. He expected a 'Don't be a wimp!' remark, but instead, a pat on the back was Riku's answer.

"Haha, don't worry about it then. How about me and Sora help you?"

Sora didn't mind the idea if it meant helping out his cousin/best friend. "Yeah, we could give her little hints about it and try to see what she's feeling."

Roxas shook his head, "No, that's alright guys. It'd be a bit better if I did it myself. I don't want her knowing I'm a wimp either.."

The two smiled at their best friend's courage and honesty and slugged him in the arm playfully. Sora's thinking bulb suddenly flickered on.

"Hey, I know, why don't you two sleep over here? Since Kairi's throwing a 'slumber party', Roxas will get another chance with Naminé," he suggested.

"Dude, Sora, Roxas is not going to try and sleep with her, "Riku replied bluntly. Roxas's eyes went wide.

"No no no you idiot! That's not what I meant. I meant, maybe you can take this chance at giving her hints of your feelings. Maybe she'll catch on and respond, you know?" said Sora.

Roxas nodded at the idea. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea, although, I hope I don't make a fool of myself."

"Pfft! No way is that going to happen," Sora said.

"And why's that?" Roxas asked, crossing his arms.

"Because you're Roxas, dude!" Riku replied. Roxas smiled at the comment, and wondered how he ever ended up with such wonderful friends. All he knew, was that Sora and Riku were the best of friends he could ever want. The three boys went out to munch on something, killing time until five o' clock came around the corner.

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Kairi hastily swept the floors and wiped the tables clean. She got rid of any unnecessary trash and put the clothes away. The dirty dishes were washed and the pillows on the couch were straightened. She inspected the pantry, making sure she had some foods and snacks for tonight, and quickly went to her room. Making her bed and putting away papers in the desk, her cell phone rang in the pocket of her pajama pants.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Kairi, it's me Naminé. I need the directions to your house."

"Oh okay, umm, you live near the shopping district right?"

"Yeah, where do I go from there?"

"Just keep walking down and turn right. Follow '1st Street' all the way down until you see the house number '8655'. It should be on your right side."

"Okay, thanks Kai! I'll see you at five!" Naminé said and ended the connection. Kairi checked the timer on her phone, which read '3:34'. Kairi busied herself with cleaning up every room in the house except for her mother's and dressed up in comfortable clothes. Five o'clock sped around the corner, and Kairi patiently waited for her friends' arrival in her room. After about ten minutes of writing in her diary, the door bell rang. Kairi jumped off her bed and dashed downstairs, opening the door to her friends with warm smiles. They filed in excitedly, plopping on the couch and floor.

"Phew! I am never walking here again..." Selphie sighed, relaxing on the squishy cushions.

"We only walked for ten minutes Selphie," Olette laughed as she slid her orange shoes off.

"Yeah, well, I'm not the athletic type," admitted Selphie.

"Well anyway, your house seems cozy Kairi," Yuna said, scanning every detail in the room.

"Thanks! It was a bit messy before," said Kairi after sitting herself next to Naminé.

"So your mom doesn't mind at all?" Naminé asked, holding her backpack on her lap.

Kairi nodded," Yup! As long as we don't wake up the neighbors, leave a mess, and have boys sleeping over."

The girls giggled. "Well, anyway, Naminé, wasn't there something you wanted to tell us?"

Kairi turned to Naminé. "Umm, well, it's sort of... like... stupid..."

"Well, we won't know if it's stupid or not if you don't tell us," Selphie said.

"And besides, if it's troubling you, I'm pretty sure it's not stupid," Kairi added.

Naminé nodded with a faint smile and peered down at her backpack. Kairi noticed a bit of pink growing within her pale cheeks.

"Um, well, at Selphie's party, I kind of... you know," Naminé hesitated.

"You kind of what?" Olette asked.

"I.. think I.. developed a sort of..." Naminé began.

"Yesss??" said Yuna, leaning closer.

Naminé gulped. "Crush."

The girls' faces lit up and scooted closer to the blushing blonde.

"Really Naminé? Who is it? Who's the crush?" Kairi asked.

Naminé went pink in the face. "U-Um... well..."

"It's Roxas, isn't it?!" Selphie exclaimed. Naminé buried her face into her backpack.

"Oh my gosh! How cute Naminé!" squealed Olette.

"Was it because of that kiss?" Yuna asked warmly.

Naminé rose her head a little. "Well, it's not just because of the kiss... I've kind of, been having this crush for him..."

"Really? Ever since I introduced you guys?" asked Kairi.

Naminé nodded. "Yeah. He always had a nice smile. In class, sometimes he would be fooling around with Sora and Riku. He's always so funny and, well, charming. I remember one time, he and I were paired up for a lab, and he kept making me laugh. It was great, he would always mess around, acting goofy and such. I really liked that about him, how carefree and sincere he is. I guess you can say that I fell for him since day one."

"Aaaaawwwwww!!!!" How cute!!!" the girls said in unison, making Naminé blush even more.

"Have you told him yet?" Yuna asked, bright in the eyes.

"No, I haven't. I'm too scared to tell him. I don't want to be rejected..." she said, lowering her head.

"Aww, Naminé, you'll have to tell him sometime! What if he feels the same way about you?" advised Olette.

"Yeah, it could be possible!" said Selphie, grinning a bit too widely.

Naminé nodded. "I know, but what if he doesn't? I don't want to ruin a friendship over a silly crush. I just met him a week ago."

Kairi smiled," Naminé, if you don't find out, it might drive you insane. And Roxas wouldn't do something as to ruin friendship. He likes to have friends around, even you. If he does reject, he wouldn't go and tell you to not talk to him ever again. Like you said, he's sincere, he wouldn't do anything to hurt you like that."

Naminé's eyes shone brightly at her best friend and looked at the other girls, who were smiling back. She felt like the happiest person in the world to have such unique and caring friends.

"Thanks guys, I feel a lot better. Maybe I can tell him when the time is right," Naminé said, lifting her head up high. The girls cheered at Naminé strength.

"We're here for you, Naminé!" the girls shouted bear-hugging the poor blonde who tried to gasp for breath.

"Haha, thank you so much you guys!" Naminé replied, smiling warmly.

**End Chapter 7**

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A/N: How was it? Did you like it? x3 Roxas and Naminé are on my top favorite pair list with Sora and Kairi! I'd appreciate if you review, and I'll post Chapter 8 very soon! Thanks for reading! 3


	8. Childhood Memories

A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with Chapter 8!! Sorry to keep you waiting, I'm just trying to get ahead of the game. Right now, I want to be at least five chapters ahead of the posted chapter on this site, so I don't have pressure on my back. Okay, enough of my rambling, enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does.

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**Chapter 8**

The boys walked back form the café in the shopping district after a good hour and a half of eating, but it wasn't just those three, Tidus and Hayner came along.

"Wow, I never expected to meet you guys at the café. What were you guys doing anyway?" asked Sora, stretching his arms.

"Me and Hayner wanted to get something to eat since Yuna and Olette aren't around. Wakka's busy with his game, so we decided to kill time there, "Tidus replied.

Roxas peered over at the two newcomers.

"Hey, is it me? Or do you guys like Yuna and Olette?" asked Roxas.

The two shuttered.

"W-What? Are you crazy Roxas? Olette is just a friend!" Hayner cried, smiling awkwardly.

"Y-Yeah! Same goes with Yuna!" added Tidus, looking up at the sky, trying to avert eyes.

"Pfft," Sora blurted. "Yeah right. Do you know how obvious it is?"

The two whirled their heads in Sora's direction.

"How is it obvious?" asked Hayner rashly.

Riku responded this time. "Well, think about it. Every time we go somewhere, we would always see you with Olette. All of this week, that's all you've been doing, hanging out with her. And you Tidus, I know how you always act tough in front of Yuna. I've never seen you act like that for any other girl. Even in school, you got in trouble trying to do something stupid in order to impress Yuna."

It appeared as though the two have been caught attempting a crime. Their you-caught-me expression clearly gave themselves away to the other three.

"Wow Riku, you got 'em," Roxas said lifting a cheek.

"Hah, I always get 'em. No one can escape my godly gift of interpreting feelings and body language," bragged Riku. Sora simply shrugged at his cocky friend as the five turned a corner and proceeded home.

"Well, anyway, thanks for letting me and Tidus sleep over, Sora, "Hayner said, Tidus agreeing.

"No problem. It'd be more exciting if most of the group hung out today," Sora replied.

"By the way, I heard Kairi lives right next to you. Is that true?" Tidus asked.

Sora nodded slowly. "Yeah, she does."

"What is she doing today?" Tidus asked again.

"Probably hanging out with the girls right now," shrugged Sora.

"Huh? But I thought Olette said she was at a slumber party, "Hayner said scrunching an eyebrow.

"Kairi's throwing it," Sora said. He noticed Tidus's hopeful expression and added," Yuna's there too."

Both boys' faces lit up like a lamp.

"Don't worry guys. We were planning to go there right now anyways," Roxas laughed at how the air suddenly became so light.

The boys strolled up the sidewalk and onto Kairi's doorstep, ringing the doorbell.

Kairi jumped at the sound of the bell and opened the door. Their stood the guys, waiting impatiently to come in. The girls smiled as the boys filed in and took a seat. Kairi turned around after locking the door, shocked at how full the living room was and how much more livelier it became. She sat on an empty space on the carpet next to Yuna and peered around at her friends.

"Wow, so what's going on guys? Did you just decide to get together and crash our slumber party?" Kairi joked. The girls giggled.

"That's what guys do, right? We live to make girls hate us, yet, love us," Riku slyly responded. The guys laughed in agreement, all except for Sora, who just leaned against the wall. He shrugged at Riku's comment and noticed Roxas sitting on the floor next to Naminé, who was sitting on the couch.

_Wow. He's quick worker..._

"So, it's alright if we hang out with you girls then?" asked Roxas.

"Psh, no it's not alright! How will we get to tell secrets if you guys are here?" Selphie said loudly with a grin.

"But Selphie, I thought we already told secrets," Naminé giggled.

"Well then, for now, we can go out and just hang somewhere. After that we can just rent some movies or tell ghost stories when we come back," Kairi suggested. The group agreed and stood up, shuffling out of the door. Kairi locked the door and began walking with the crowd of friends to the shopping district. Surprisingly, the group added to the bustling noise in the streets and talked excitedly about who knows what. Kairi spotted Naminé and Roxas up ahead, laughing and talking. A smile is formed as she held back her cheering for her best friend. Of course, who better to notice Kairi's emotional change other than Sora?

"What are you smiling about?" he asked alongside her.

"Nothing," she bluntly responded, still smiling. His heart kept doing summersaults, just watching her smile like that.

"Well, quit it. It's scaring me," lied Sora rudely. He expected Kairi to yell at him, but instead, he felt the cold shoulder. Kairi kept walking alongside, still wearing that enchanting smile. His heartbeat began to increase in speed before he spun his head in another direction.

_I don't believe this... Why is it happening again...?_

He shook his head, not reverting to his thoughts and continued to follow the group to wherever they felt like going. The girls pranced around the shopping district while the guys just walked casually behind. Naminé immediately went over to the pet store, adoring hamsters, birds, cats, and dogs. Dogs especially, since they were always a bundle of fun. Her blue eyes sparkled when she spotted a small cage barrier that kept in small white puppies that endlessly played with one another. Reaching out a tender hand, the puppies stopped their play and rushed over to the outstretched arm, licking it, rubbing their little heads under it and barking excitedly. Naminé laughed, causing a watching Roxas outside the shop to smile. Sora was standing behind, peering at the back of Roxas's head.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Sora asked, pushing Roxas to the front of the pet store.

"W-Whoa, wait a minute Sora!" stuttered Roxas, trying to resist from going in, when Naminé turned his way.

"Haha, Roxas! Come here! Look at these puppies!" she beckoned with a beautiful smile. Sora sneered at the blushing Roxas and stopped attempting to shove him since he was already walking on his own. Roxas knelt down beside Naminé, petting the energetic puppies. Sora turned back around triumphantly, looking around for anyone of his friends. Everyone seemed to have disappeared, except for one person he spotted in the same accessory store from which he bought Selphie's present at. There stood Kairi, at the same exact spot from where she adored the same necklace. He rolled his eyes and made his way into the store, standing next to her.

"Are you serious Kairi? It's a stupid necklace for crissake," Sora said, trying to wake her up from a trance.

"It's not just a stupid necklace," Kairi fought, looking up at him. "For some reason, I feel attached to it."

Her head turned towards the cashier assistance and asked if the necklace could be taken out for her to hold. Sora watched as the female assistant unlocked the glass slide and gently handed Kairi the glittering necklace. Kairi eyed the jewelry as though it were her only child. The cashier assistant walked back to the counter to ring up an item for a customer.

"I want to see how this looks on me," Kairi said, examining the pinkish heart.

"Well put it on then," said Sora hastily.

Her auburn head turned toward his brunette one.

"Could you put it on for me?" she asked delicately smiling. The same color pink as the necklace rushed in Sora's face.

"W-What? You do it!" Sora rejected.

"But I can't see when I'm putting it on," Kairi frowned holding up the necklace to him. He sighed in defeat and gently took the piece of jewelry. Kairi turned around and held her hair up, revealing her ivory neck. Sora gently looped the necklace around Kairi's neck and fastened the clip carefully and let it drop on her tender shoulders. Her hair flowed down as she turned towards him, looking down at the glittering jewelry that hung below her chin. She peered back up at Sora.

"Does it look okay?" she asked sheepishly.

Okay? It was better than okay. The sparkling jewelry only added to Kairi's radiant beauty. It glittered as it moved around her chest, like the sparkling ocean. And the one thing that made Kairi even more gorgeous was none other than that delicate smile. He felt like he stood on a cloud, feeling the rush of energy pass within his every whim. He hadn't noticed how he was staring.

"Y-Yeah... you look...great..." he dreamily said. Kairi chuckled softly as Sora snapped back into reality.

"I-I mean, it's great. For a tomboy at least," said Sora, trying to cover up what he just said before. Kairi pouted and sighed, reaching behind to unfasten the necklace. She gave it back to the cashier assistant and watched behind the glass pane once again. It might seem silly, but Sora actually felt very jealous of that necklace. Oh how he'd love for Kairi to have that longing look for him. That smile whenever it made her happy as she wore it around her neck. How it made her even more beautiful. How she cherished it and adored it. How she kept going back just to see it. Even though he doesn't realize it, Sora wanted that kind of recognition from Kairi. It would make him the happiest guy in the world.

"Hellooo? Soraa? Earth to Sora," Kairi said, waving her hand in front of his face.

"What? What happened?" he blinked, as if he just regained himself from amnesia. Kairi smiled pitifully.

"C'mon sleeping beauty. Let's go somewhere else," said Kairi as she started outside the store. Sora followed, wondering what he had been doing while he was thinking. He shrugged it off and sluggishly plopped himself next to Kairi on the bench. Shoppers and tourists came and went, carrying a variety of store bags. The kids played in the mini play areas found randomly throughout the shopping districts. The sky turned into a rich shade of orange when the clock struck '6:12'. Kairi yawned, wondering where in the world her friends were. It's been almost an hour since they arrived, could they still possibly be shopping? A haziness began developing inside Kairi and tried to fight it. Sora was feeling the same way. If boredom lasts for more than thirty minutes, he immediately gets sleepy.

"Where the heck are they?" Sora asked impatiently, trying to keep his eyes open.

"I don't know. I think they're still shopping," Kairi yawned. The lights outside flickered on, creating a yellow glow on the concrete. They waited, and waited, and waited, and waited, until the clock struck '7:24'. Kairi's eyes finally drooped until she fell asleep. Her head swayed onto Sora's relaxed shoulders and began drifting in slumber land. Sora finally noticed her auburn head on his shoulder.

"Hey, ditz. Don't go making me piggyback you again while you sleep..." he said sleepily.

No response. He decided to drop it since he didn't have the energy to put up with her right now. He yawned one last time, before leaning his head on hers, and falling asleep. Kairi unconsciously scooted closer to get comfortable and curled her arms around his. Peace would be the only word to describe the sight as the two sat in sleep. Sora dreamt of nothing more than his most cherished childhood memory as he whiffed the scent of strawberry and a hint of melon Kairi gave off.

----------Flashback----------

_"Weeee!" shouted little Kairi as she swung in the air and swung back down._

_"Wanna go higher?" asked little Sora, pushing her from behind._

_"Haha, that's okay. We can stop now," little Kairi cheerily said._

_Little Sora ran to the empty swing beside Kairi and sat upon it, holding on to the chain support. Kairi began to slow down until she came to a complete stop. _

_"That was fun! Should I push you?" Kairi asked, smiling brightly._

_Little Sora shook his head. "No, that's okay," returning a smile._

_Kairi's smile sagged a bit, until her happy eyes became sad ones._

_"What's wrong Kairi?" Sora asked, concerned._

_Kairi looked at the sand below her feet. "What if, we won't be able to have fun like this anymore when we grow up?"_

_"What do you mean?" Sora asked. "We'll always have fun! We live next to each other!"_

_"But," little Kairi began. "What if you or I go away to another place?" she asked, looking at him._

_Sora smiled reassuringly. "That won't happen. I'll make sure it doesn't!" he shouted, pointing to himself._

_"Do you promise?" little Kairi asked, with hope in her eyes._

_"Promise," little Sora confirmed. "We'll always be together."_

----------End Flashback----------

"Well, isn't this a sight for sore eyes," a familiar, mature voice said, waking the sleeping boy up.

Sora slowly opened his eyes to the bright lamp and to find a Riku and the gang grinning at him.

"And here I thought you two hated each other," Hayner teased.

He lifted his head slowly, wondering where he was. Indeed, he was still in the shopping district, but the looming sky turned a darker shade of orange.

"Where the hell have you guys been?" Sora asked weakly, yawning widely.

"Shopping of course!" Selphie exclaimed loudly.

Sora noticed how the guys held all of the shopping bags. He squinted and attempted to rub his eyes when a force held one of his arms down. He looked to the side to find Kairi asleep on his shoulder, hugging his arm. His sleepiness drained quickly as his face flushed. The group laughed loudly, causing Kairi to blink out of her sleep.

"Huh...?" Kairi mumbled, lifting her head from Sora's shoulder.

"What happened...?" Kairi asked drowsily, trying to get her burry vision to focus. She lifted her arms and rubbed her eyes to find the gang sneering even more. Her eyes shifted to each grin.

"What?" she asked dumbly.

"It's nothing," Yuna said, trying to keep in her giggle.

Kairi tilted her head and peered at Sora, who was, for some reason, blushing immensely like a cherry.

"Anyway, we should get back to Kairi's. The shopping district will close in a little bit," Roxas said, looking at the nearest store locking it's doors. The group agreed as Sora and Kairi got up and stretched. Everyone walked chit-chattily towards home. Kairi wasn't really in the mood for talking since she was still half asleep, but was forced when the whole group of girls sped up to her.

"That was so cute Kairi!" Selphie squealed lowly, so the boys behind won't hear.

"What was?" Kairi obliviously asked.

"You and Sora," Yuna answered.

"What about us?" Kairi asked again, feeling really dumb.

"You mean you don't remember?" Naminé chuckled. Kairi shook her head.

"Well, when we were done shopping, we found you and Sora sleeping on the bench together. It was such a cute sight! Your head was on his shoulder and his head was on yours. You even held onto his arm while you were sleeping!" Olette exclaimed lightly. The girls giggled madly as Kairi lifted an eyebrow.

"Was I really...?" Kairi said, in completing her sentence.

The girls nodded and grinned widely as Kairi tried to fight back the heat that almost rose in her face. Sora looked ahead at the bunch of girls and grunted. The boys caught up to him and started pestering like they always do whenever they catch Sora "doing" something weird with Kairi.

"You can't back out of this one Sora," Tidus grinned.

"Yeah, we caught you red-handed," Hayner added.

"I fell asleep on her, so what?" Sora asked irritably.

"Hah, c'mon Sora. You know that's not all. Kairi was hanging on to your arm like you were her boyfriend," Riku said.

"Don't ask me how that happened. I don't remember how her arms got there," he said defiantly.

"Stop trying to hide it Sora," Roxas laughed. "If you ask me, I'm seriously convinced you and Kairi are dating secretly."

"We aren't DATING," he emphasized angrily. "You guys just keep assuming that since you always find me and Kairi in weird situations."

"Right. Okay. Weird," Riku said sarcastically, causing Sora to glare at him. The boys laughed as Sora ignored the taunts and teases. The group kept walking up the street and to their destination. Sora slowed his walking pace, being the last of the group. That same warmth that dwelled in his neck now seemed to cling onto Sora's shoulder and arm, where Kairi leaned and hung on to. He snapped out of it, noticing he was the only one outside of Kairi's house. When he walked up the tiny flight of steps and proceeded inside, as familiar phrase ran through his head.

_"We'll always be together."_

**End Chapter 8**

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A/N: xD How was it? Too much fluff? Maybe so, but I like fluff, especially the Sora/Kairi kind. xP Please review and I'll post Chapter 9 soon! Thanks for reading!!


	9. Sleep Over

A/N: Hello guys! Sorry about the wait, school is really driving me nuts! Dx, well here's Chapter 9. I hope you enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does.

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**Chapter 9**

"Sora, c'mon and sit! We're telling ghost stories now!"

He locked the door from behind and made his way to an empty spot on the couch, next to Kairi who was sitting on the carpet with her knees curled in front. She always liked getting scared, just not when it comes to thunder. Also, the large company also attributes to the excitement.

"Okay, who wants to go first?" asked Hayner, jiggling a flashlight. The group looked around at each other when Selphie's hand jolted up in the air.

"I'll go! I know a reeeaaaallllyyy good one!" she exclaimed as the flashlight beamed on. Tidus quickly switched the house lights off as Selphie's face began to make a gruesome sight under the flashlight.

"It was a dark and stormy night," Selphie began. "The thunders crashed loudly, and the rain pattered on the windows. I was asleep in my bed, when I hear something groaning."

The group's excitement level reached about a level three.

"I heard faint footsteps. Sometimes it would be as near as my bedside, and sometimes I could barely hear it. All I knew was, the thing that's groaning was stalking me, like it was expecting me to wake up!"

Excitement level rose to a five.

"I heard my door open, but I didn't get to see a glimpse of whatever was standing at my doorway. I was too scared, huddled in my blanket. It creaked closer and closer..."

Excitement level rose to level seven.

"And ever closer, when I saw a shadow figure standing at the foot of my bed! It groaned disgustingly! I was getting even more scared!"

Excitement level now at nine.

"I pulled the blankets out of my eyes to see what it was... And... I saw..."

Excitement level now at a maximum ten. Everyone stood on end, waiting for Selphie to reveal this mysterious "thing" in her bedroom.

"It... was..." Selphie said tremulously.

Everyone leaned closer.

"My dad," she answered. "Turns out he was looking for the pain reliever I had in my bedroom." Everyone practically fell face flat.

"Selphie!!! What kind of story was that?!" Kairi exclaimed.

"Seriously, you had us going there Selph," Roxas sighed, feeling the tension drain out of him, when, all of a sudden, he felt a slight tug on his long sleeve just below his left elbow. He peered over, and, to his shocking yet pleasing surprise, Naminé clung to his shirt, sighing deeply at Selphie's lame ending. He faced forward, trying not to attract attention from the group as he hid his smile.

"I thought I was going to have a heart attack," Naminé sighed, still clinging on to the sleeve.

Since Sora was sitting on the couch, he could see the little "thing" that's going on between Roxas and Naminé and shook his head in pure amusement. He was glad to see his friends enjoying himself, even though he wasn't really actively participating in most of the activities. The next person was Hayner. He told a very typical murder story about a creepy killer who stalked and brutally murdered a teenage girl. Hayner's skill of story-telling was very good actually, that it temporarily made some of them shiver. Riku decided to add his own twist, and told a gruesome story of a serial killer's spirit that possessed a child's doll named "chuckie", whom continued his killing spree even after death. He screamed "Let's play!" in a maniacal way, causing uproar around the group. Sora snickered at how Kairi squeaked in terror. Roxas and Naminé became even closer by the minute.

"Okay, anyone else?" Riku offered. Sora decided to take this opportunity to get back at Kairi. But get her back for what? He didn't know, he just wanted to tick her off.

"Give it here. I know a good one," Sora motioned with his hands. Riku tossed the flashlight carelessly. He smirked and flicked the switch off, leaving everyone in complete darkness.

"Hehehe, I hope you guys aren't scared of the dark, "Sora chuckled evilly.

"Pfft, no way!" some of them said. The girls hugged the nearest thing next to them. Sora began his story in the dark.

"One night, a little boy scout camp sat out in the middle of the forest, making smores and singing choruses and whatnot. A little boy was telling a folk story when all of a sudden," Sora stopped. In the darkness, low groaning came from everywhere as the girls started panicking.

"Groaning sounds came from the forest, and the boys started getting nervous. The groans got louder and louder."

And so did the groans from within the dark room.

"It suddenly stopped."

Silence followed.

"Something crept forward, slowly getting closer, and closer, until it's huge dark form loomed over the camp."

The girls felt uneasy, not wanting the dark anymore.

"It came, it was.. It was..." Sora said quietly.

The room went silent.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" Sora and the boys yelled, flicking on the flashlight from under his chin and was face to face with Kairi. Her eyes grew wide as she fell back, screaming and shaking at the hideous face. The girls shrieked as the boys hollered unexpectedly. The guys laughed uncontrollably, causing the girls to get angry.

"Hahaha! Nice plan Sora! It worked perfectly!" Tidus laughed.

"Wow, I haven't laughed like that since I was a little boy..." Riku said, trying to calm down.

"Heh, it was too easy. You should've seen the look on your face, Kairi. Priceless..." Sora chuckled. Of course, Kairi wasn't going to have him let the last laugh. She kneeled up and grabbed his cheeks, stretching them apart, making an amusing sight for the girls.

"Priceless eh? Then how about this?" countered Kairi, stretching back and forth.

"Ow ow ow ow! Kaiwi wet gho!!!" Yelped Sora, feeling the pain in his cheeks as Kairi swiped her hands together from her sweet revenge. The girls laughed as poor Sora rubbed his sore cheeks together in annoyance. The guys covered their hands over their cheeks in hopes of not getting the same punishment. Kairi flipped on the switch, suffering from the light's brightness.

"Okay, what's next?" she asked, sitting back down.

"How about that movie idea you suggested?" said Olette.

"Yeah! A movie!" Hayner replied. "I'm up for a horror one since I'm still stuck in ghost-story mode."

The rest agreed with nodding heads.

"What should we rent?" asked Tidus.

"How about Twilight Terrors? I heard it's an original, and it's really scary!" Selphie answered. The group has never watched the movie before, so they decided to give it a shot. But, there was one problem.

"Does anyone want to do the honors?" Riku asked. They all looked at each other, neither of them wanting to get up from where they were sitting. Naminé's patience waned very fast at how lazy the group was. She let go of Roxas's sleeve and stood up.

"I'll go you lazy bums," she sighed.

"Thanks Nam!" Selphie chuckled.

"But we don't want you to go alone. Especially when it's dark," said Sora, trying to hint a certain someone, but Roxas was already a step ahead.

"I'll go with you. Who knows what kind of freaks are out there," suggested Roxas, standing up next to her. She nodded sweetly and proceeded out the front with Roxas behind.

"Be careful you two!" Kairi called before they waved and closed the door. And now, the remaining ones had a new thing to talk about.

"Okay, this question is going to the boys. Who does Roxas exactly like?" Selphie asked interestingly.

Hayner and Tidus shrugged. "Beats me, but if you ask me, it seems like he's warming up to Naminé."

"Speaking of which, what about Naminé? Does she like anyone?" asked Sora.

Kairi shook her head," Not until you guys answer us first."

Riku sighed. "Yes girls, he likes Naminé."

Female faces lit up brightly. Hayner and Tides shrugged, like it was old news.

"Oh my gosh, that's great!" Selphie squealed.

"They're going to be great together!" said Olette, putting her hands together.

Sora scratched his cheek. "What are you girls talking about? Does Naminé even like Roxas?"

He took it as a yes judging from the girls' giggles. The guys sighed at how clueless and dumb Sora can be sometimes.

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Roxas and Naminé walked slowly to the nearest movie rentals as the street lamps shone brightly. It was awkward since neither of them were saying anything.

_Alright, this is my chance to give her hints..._

Roxas pondered about what kind of hints to give off.

_Okay, this is my chance to give him clues..._

Naminé did the same thing.

Both kept walking with ideas in their minds.

_No no, why not just tell her straight? It'd be better that way..._

_C'mon Naminé. Just tell him how you feel! Remember what Kairi said?_

_How about you try holding her hand or something? Would that freak her out?_

_Try making a grab for his hand! Maybe he'd hold it back!_

_What if she runs away or something?_

_What if he runs away or something?_

_That's ridiculous! Just do it!_

_Just go for it Naminé!_

Roxas gulped and slowly led his hand in her direction, Naminé did likewise. Hands slowly found its way into each other and left their masters intensely flushed.

_Crap, now what Roxas???_

_... Now what? Should I say something?_

"Umm..." Naminé began, looking the other way, but not letting go of his hand.

"I-I'm sorry," Roxas responded, letting go of her hand. "I, um, didn't mean to.. uh..."

"N-No! It's okay, I just..." said Naminé, without even realizing she took his hand back. They stopped in their tracks, feeling very uncomfortable.

_Don't show her your a wimp, Roxas! Just tell her!_

_Just do it, Naminé! It'd be better to get the load off of your shoulders now while you still have the chance!_

"The thing is, I-" both simultaneously said.

"Oh, sorry I interrupted. Go ahead," Naminé sheepishly said.

"N-No, it's okay, you go first," said Roxas, rubbing the back of his blonde hair with his free hand.

"I... like you..." she mumbled faintly.

"What?" asked Roxas, leaning a bit closer, making Naminé feel uncomfortable.

She said it again, barely even making a squeak.

"Sorry Naminé, I still didn't hear you," he said, leaning a bit closer. She noticed his face position as he was trying to decipher what she said. Without thinking Naminé leaned over, Roxas felt the same angelic kiss from Selphie's party on his cheek. She drew back rashly, letting go of his hand and covered her red cheeks. Roxas stood dumbfounded, like he had just been dreaming for five split seconds. He peered over at the bashful girl and couldn't help but smile. He put his hands in his pockets, and looked the other way.

"Oh, that's what you were trying to tell me," he said, breaking the silence.

"Y-Yeah. It's okay, if, if you don't... um...," said she, trying to regain her original color in her cheeks.

"Actually..." he began. Without finishing what he was about to say, he took her hand that covered her flushed cheek and pecked it lightly, returning her feelings. Roxas laughed at how her face became as red as a beet.

"I'm glad you feel the same way actually," Roxas said, trying not to stutter.

"Heh, how can I not?" she said, feeling a little more comfortable and relaxed.

"Well, we better get going. They'll yell at us if we take too long," Roxas said, holding out a hand for her to hold.

She gladly took it and said," Right."

They walked hand in hand, enjoying each other's company when Naminé broke the silence.

"So, what does this mean, exactly?" she asked, not trying to offend him.

He thought for a second. "Well, it's either we're really really really really, and I mean REALLY bored and just decided to start holding hands, or that we're in a relationship starting today and taking it slow. You pick."

Naminé laughed. "I think I'll go with number 2."

"Good choice," he joked. It couldn't go any smoother as it is today. What will the others think about this? They'd probably tease and taunt to no end until Roxas became a monster and started eating everyone up. They continued their walk in the night up to the movie rentals store and rented the movie everyone picked.

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Sora's stomach grumbled loudly, causing laughter in the room.

"Sh-shut up. I'm just hungry," he said, covering his tummy.

Kairi stood up from the floor. "I'll go get some snacks then. Does anyone want anything?"

"Oh, do you have potato chips?" Tidus asked. Kairi nodded.

"How about sea-salt ice cream for Roxas and Naminé? I'll have some too," Riku said. She nodded again.

"I'll have grapes and strawberries!" Olette said.

"I'll share with her," Hayner added. Riku and Sora sneered in their heads.

"I'll have a soda!" Selphie said.

"How about you, Yuna?" Kairi asked.

"I'll just share with Tidus," she replied. She turned her gaze back on Sora.

"What about you?"

He stood up. "I'm not in the mood for snacks. I'll just go cook something."

"Nope," she bluntly said. "I don't trust you in my kitchen. I'll cook it."

"It's not like I'm going to make a big mess out of it. Plus, I don't know if I can trust your cooking," Sora said, getting a whap to the arm. Kairi started towards the kitchen and rummaged through the pantry and refrigerator, selecting the things everyone wanted and walked back hands full. Bags opened, wrappers tore, cans popped and Sora's stomach still kept rumbling. Kairi peered over at him, trying not to laugh.

"I'll make my mom's specialty. It'll take a little bit, so be patient," she reassured and went into the kitchen again. Sora pouted, feeling a big, empty hole in his stomach. He noticed an evil grin coming from across the group, which was Riku.

"Not only is she sleeping on you, but now she's cooking for you. I'm so envious, man," said Riku sarcastically.

"Shut it your trap, Riku. I'm too hungry to put up with your crap," snapped Sora.

"Haha, then why should I stop?" he asked, grinning.

"Seriously, Sora. She's like your wife or something," Hayner said shrugging.

"She's NOT my wife..." he denied, tummy growling once again. The front door opened to Roxas and Naminé, who held the movie in a plastic bag.

"Geez, what took you guys so long?" Selphie asked.

"Just had a little something we had to take care of," Roxas smiled, tossing the DVD to Riku.

"I'm guessing it has to do with you guys holding hands then?" Yuna giggled. Everyone shifted their eyes to the joined hands by their side.

"What the- Are you two a couple now?" Hayner gawked.

"Teehee, I guess you can say that," Naminé replied, pink in her cheeks.

"How cute!" squealed Olette.

"What's going here?" Kairi asked, poking her head into the living room.

"Say hello to the newly weds," Sora replied. Kairi's face lit up as she saw her best friend holding hands with the one she admired.

"Pfft, we're not newly weds, Sora," Roxas said.

"That's great, you two! Come inside and pop in the movie! I'll be outside in a sec," Kairi said, retreating back into the kitchen. The couple sat themselves back into their original spot, ignoring the grins and cheesy smiles revolving around them.

"What's Kairi doing anyway?" Naminé asked peering to the kitchen.

"She's cooking something for her hubby," Riku replied, handing Roxas two popsicles. Sora shot a glare at him.

"'Can it, Riku. I'm NOT her hubby," he said, crossing his arms. "Why do you guys always assume stuff like this? It's pretty obvious that we practically hate each other."

"Hah! Are you kidding me?" Selphie laughed, taking a chug at her soda.

"It seems like the whole 'hating' thing is just a cover up for something else," Hayner snickered through a mouthful of grapes.

"A cover up for what?" Sora asked offensively.

"What do you think, Einstein?" asked Tidus sarcastically.

"Okay, that's it. No more drugs for all of you," Sora pouted, half-jokingly. The group chuckled when Kairi came out with a bowl and chopsticks in hand. The aroma of steamed beef and potatoes filled the room, causing Sora to secretly salivate. His stomach grumbled even louder as Kairi handed him the meal.

"I see you're patient, but your stomach isn't," she laughed, as Sora scarfed down the delicious food. It was exceptionally tasty that Sora didn't even have time to chew.

"Holy mother of- Sora slow down a bit!" Roxas said, watching in disgust. Sora ignored and kept eating hastily.

"Hehe, if Sora is starving, no one can stop him until the bowl is finished," said Kairi, putting her hands on her hips. She went back into the kitchen and came back out with a glass of water. He finished the remainder of the meal, and sat back in satisfaction. The group looked at him like he was an alien.

"Remind me to keep you away from my refrigerator," Hayner said, taking a bite out of a strawberry.

He grabbed the glass of water and finished it in one chug.

"I swear, Sora," said Riku, unwrapping a popsicle. "Sometimes I really believe you're some kind of animal."

"I was hungry," he replied, sitting back with his arms folded behind his head, feeling he fullness of his calm stomach. Kairi shook her head, obviously used to this sort of thing.

"Alright, now that that's done, I'll put in the movie since no one heard what I said five minutes ago," she joked, taking the DVD and putting it in. The lights turned off and the movie begun. Surprisingly, it was very gory and frightful. The girls kept covering their eyes, occasionally peeking through their fingers wondering what will happen next. Even the guys hid behind whoever was closest to them, except for Sora of course. He practically thought this movie was boring.. Every turn of surprise, the house would shriek and yell frightfully.

"Okay, I don't know if I want to watch this anymore..." Selphie miserably said.

"Yeah, me neither..." Roxas also said, looking like he was going to spill it all over the place. Naminé rubbed his back for comfort.

Olette flipped on the lights, causing tension to lighten up.

"Well, that was a waste of time," Riku said stretching.

"I wouldn't call it a waste of time, but it was... freaky," Olette said.

"Tell me about it. Now I'm going to have nightmares," Naminé chuckled nervously.

"Pfft," Sora blurted. "That was scary? Please, I've seen scarier in Kairi's room."

Kairi infuriatingly smashed Sora's face with a pillow.

"You're so immature!" she yelled, standing up with a pillow in hand. Sora made a grab for the pillow under his back. He tried tossing at it at her, but instead, it hit Riku in the face.

"That's it. Everyone's dead," Riku declared, taking the pillow and throwing back towards Sora, who actually his Roxas. Soon it turned into a pillow fight, everyone against each other. Pillows flew, sparks sparked, and the fun never ended. It lasted for a good ten minutes, when everyone fell of exhaustion and laughter.

"That... was.. fun..." Hayner huffed, sitting against the wall.

"It was.. now I'm all... sleepy..." Selphie huffed, sprawling herself on the two-seater couch.

"Me.. too..." Naminé drowsily said, leaning against a knocked out Roxas and falling asleep.

Very quickly, everyone except Sora and Kairi were drifting peacefully in their sleep.

"Oh great. Now everyone's knocked out," Sora said weakly, feeling the sleep kicking in.

"I'm going to join them pretty soon," Kairi yawned, flipping the light switch off and plopped beside Sora.

"Well, too bad. You're staying up wi-"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Kairi took a pillow and laid on his lap.

"H-hey! What do you think you're doing?" he asked, half awake.

"Just this once..." she said, before closing her eyes.

He felt warmth swelling inside and decided to just give in since he was too weak to do anything about it. His lids slowly closed over his blue eyes, drifting into the calm and peaceful night.

**End Chapter 9**

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A/N: How was it? Did you like it? xD Hubby Sora and Wifey Kairi, it really made me giggle when I thought of it. Anyway, please review! I'd deeply appreciate it! I'll be up with Chapter 10 soon! Thanks for reading! C8


	10. Swimming

A/N: Heya guys! Thanks for reviewing on the last chapter! Here's the next one. Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does.

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**Chapter 10**

Kairi sighed at the Saturday afternoon in July. It was unbearably HOT! The heat swarmed the room whenever she opened the window for at least a hint of cold air. Sweat always coated her body as her house clothes stuck to her moist skin. The fan whirled on Kairi's heated head as the pillow smushed her face.The bed wasn't really working either, the blankets under her stomach only made her hotter. She slowly got up from the bed, feeling as though she had just entered an oven. Her feet patted sluggishly on the carpet as she made her way into the bathroom to splash cold water on her hot face. She heard her cell phone tune as she wiped her eyes and paced to her room. She flipped open the phone and spoke.

"Hello?"

"Kairi!!! It's me, Selphie!"

"Hey Selphie. What's up?"

"I was just wondering if you want to come over and swim with the group!"

"Sure, I'd love to! Although, I didn't know you had a pool Selphie."

"Haha, of course I do! I just forgot to show everyone! Well, anyway, is it okay with your mom? I know we got in trouble last time because the guys slept at our slumber party back in May."

"Haha, no it's alright. My mom was just glad she hadn't heard any pregnancy news from the us. Besides, she ended up cooking breakfast for all of us, remember?"

"That's right! Your mom is the coolest! Well, could you ask your mom just in case?"

"Sure, I'll call right back. Bye."

Kairi shut her cell phone and proceeded downstairs where she found her mother sipping at a glass of water with ice cubes swimming inside. It was amazing how her mother could smile in this kind of heat.

"Mom, are you okay? Do you want me to get an ice pack?" asked Kairi, rubbing her mother's back.

"That's alright dear," she smiled. "This will do for now. It's quite hot outside."

Kairi nodded, "Yeah. Speaking of that, Selphie invited to go swimming. Can I go?"

"Sure, Kairi," the mother sighed, trying to bear the heat. " A pool doesn't sound too bad. Maybe I'll go visit one of my friends and we'll go to a public pool somewhere."

"That sounds like a good idea. You need to cool off, you look like you're going to faint!" Kairi agreed.

"Well, do you have a swimsuit?" the mother asked, lifting her head from the glass.

She shivered at the word "swimsuit".

"Yeah, I do. It's in my bag," she lied. Whenever Kairi went swimming, she would always wear a baggy shirt and baggy shorts. Nothing feminine.

"Oh, Kairi. Not those baggy close again," the mother said.

"Well, mom, I don't have a swimsuit. Plus, I hate showing as much skin as an unerwear and a bra," she countered.

The mother shook her head. "Alright dear, have fun, and call me when you get home."

Kairi nodded and walked back upstairs to her bedroom. She called Selphie back, telling her of her mother's approval and was informed to come at 3 o' clock. Kairi took out her baggy swim wear and placed it into her maroon back pack. She dropped herself on the bed, waiting for 3 o'clock to come around the corner.

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"So, is she coming?" Olette asked, as she helped clean up Selphie's backyard.

"Yup! Her mother approved," Selphie replied, putting the umbrella up over the wooden table.

"Hey guys, do you think Kairi would look pretty in a swimsuit?" asked Naminé out of nowhere as she gathered dirt and leaves out of the pool with the extended net.

Olette and Selphie looked at each other.

"I think she'd look really pretty in a swimsuit!" Selphie said.

"I agree. Why do you ask Naminé?" Olette asked.

Naminé sighed as she emptied the net of leaves and dirt and continued to swish around the pool for anymore specs.

"Well, she never wears a swimsuit. She doesn't even wear a one pice. All she wears is baggy clothes."

"Huh? Why would she wear those?" Olette asked again, blowing up the beach ball.

"She doesn't like to be revealing. If you ask me, she self-conscious of her body," Naminé replied.

"But Kairi has the body of a model!" Selphie cried.

Naminé nodded. "I got her into a bikini once, and she didn't like it."

"Well, it's time that girl wore something sexy for a change!" Selphie triumphantly cried, knocking over a chair.

"It's useless, even if she HAD a swimsuit, she would never wear it, " sighed Naminé, putting the extended net back on the hooks on the side of the wall.

"Well, I have an extra swimsuit. I never wore it yet. I have it with me just incase I forget my orange one," Olette informed, causing Selphie to spark an idea.

"Great idea, Olette! We'll make Kairi wear it! What does it look like?" praised Selphie.

Olette sealed the opening of the beachball and tossed it onto the pool with a "fwap".

"It's a white bikini with pink star patterns and pink lines," she said.

"Even better! Okay, now all we have to do is-"

"Hold on Selphie. Weren't you guys listening to me? Even if we had a swimsuit, we can't make her," Naminé interrupted.

"C'mon Nam! We'll improvise!" Selphie grinned evily as she flicked a switch on a machine, causing the pool to churn lightly and the waterfall to slowly spew.

The girls got ready in their swimsuits and awaited for the others to come.

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"Damn it! Why is it so friggin' hot?!" Sora exclaimed, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"Quit your whining. It's June dimwit," Riku grunted, hauling his backpack over his shoulder.

"Phew, well, at least we get to go swimming," said Roxas, holding a hand over his eyes to shield out the sun's blinding rays.

The three walked across the shopping district, looking at shoppers and tourists, when they ran into a familiar person.

"Hey Kairi!" Roxas yelled, as the auburn girl turned towards them.

"Hey guys! On your way to Selph's house?" she asked.

"Yeah. Hey, is that what you're wearing to go swimming?" Riku asked, noticing her baggy clothes.

"Yeah," Kairi nodded.

"Why not a swimsuit? Or a bikini," asked Roxas.

Sora was about to remark, but thought better of it not to.

"I hate those thing," Kairi said. "It shows too much than it should."

The two guys laughed.

"Once a tomboy, always a tomboy," Sora muttered, getting a slap to the arm.

"Well, anyway, let's get going. I want to swim already," Sora angrily said, massasing the stinging pain where Kairi hit. The four continued to walk down the oven-like shopping district when Selphie's house came into view. Instead of going to the front door, Kairi noticed the back fence door slightly open. She walked through and found everyone present and accounted for and already in their swimming wear.

"Hey guys!" Selphie waved, sitting on one of the chairs next to the table with the looming umbrella, wearing a lime green one piece.

"Right on time. Everyone else came early since they couldn't wait to swim, but we wanted to wait for you guys," Olette chuckled in her orange bikini as Hayner, who wore camouflage trunks, tapped his foot impatiently.

"Sorry about that," Roxas chuckled.

"Well anyway, let's hurry up and swim! Where's Nam?" Tidus asked impatiently, wearig beige trunks, while Yuna, who wore a blue and white one piece, sighed at his energy.

"She's still inside cha-" Olette said when she was interrupted.

"Sorry for taking so long!" Naminé exlcaimed, coming out of the house as if right on cue. She bore a bikini, all in a florescent white. Kairi could feel Roxas gawking beside her and giggled silently.

"Okay, let's go swimming! Everyone jump in!" Selphie signaled. Only Tidus, Yuna, Hayner, and Olette jumped in. The four heads rose up, shaking the water from their eyes and laughed until they noticed half of the group standing there, not wet.

"Hey! What's the deal? C'mon guys!" Hayner cried.

"Haha, we have to talk to Kairi for a sec," Selphie giggled.

"Me? What for?" Kairi asked dumbfounded, when she was pulled inside, leaving the three boys.

"Well, anyway, let's just go. I'm boiling," Riku said. The other two followed him to a dry open spot and settled their things there. They peeled off their shirts, as if in a bay watch show. Riku wore dark yellow trunks with tassles on the side of his pockets. Roxas wore plain black trunks with pockets on the side. Sora wore dark blue and red trunks, with a white seam as a division line bewteen the two colors. Each boy was amazingly built and toned. Riku, of course, was proud to have that kind of body. Roxas just liked to stay healthy and in shape. Sora liked to play sports and didn't give a rat's ass of how his body looked like. Sora walked over to the edge of the pool, noticing Yuna who was swimming gently across to the other side.

"How is it?" Sora asked.

"It's great! It's really refreshing, come on in!" Yuna beckoned, reaching the other side where the steps were. Sora looked at his reflection in the water, pondering about the whereabouts of Kairi.

_What the heck are you doing, worrying about her? Just get in the pool, you're boiling like a-_

**Shove!**

In seconds, Sora felt cold. He opened his eyes to find disoriented rays of light shining in the blue liquid and swam up to the surface of the water. He gasped for breath, shaking his head. He heard laughing from the others already submerged in the water.

"Riku, you ass!" he yelled, rubbing the water out of his eyes.

"Well, you were being a narcissist, so I had to wake you up," he laughed, when he got shoved as well. A big splash bursted beside Sora.

"Nice going, Roxas!" Sora cheered as Riku surfaced, shaking his silver-haired head.

"I'll get you back for that, Roxas," Riku jokingly threatened. Roxas grinned and jumped in after.

The rest swam and lounged in the pool, enjoying the cold sensation at their hot bodies.

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Kairi stared in bewilderment as the girls kept giggling.

"Um, what's going on?" she asked, not knowing if she should be asking that kind of question.

"We have a surprise for you Kai!" Selphie said. Olette pulled out a white bikini with pink stars and lines running across, in a "ta-da!" moment.

Kairi's eyes grew big and quickly turned towards the backyard door.

"No! No way I'm every wearing something like that!" she exclaimed.

Naminé ran in front of her.

"Please Kairi? You never wore a bikini when I asked you at my birthday party," Naminé innocently pleaded, big blue eyes glittering vaguely.

"No! I hate wearing things that are too revealing!" she said, trying not to give in to the puppy eyes.

"But you have a gorgeous figure! Why not show it off?" Olette asked, trying to help Naminé out.

"Because, it's like saying 'I wear a bra and underwear in public'. Besides, I don't have a nice figure," Kairi retorted.

"Come on Kairi! Olette hasn't used it yet! And besides, Sora would be totally stoked to see you in something sexy rather than baggy," Selphie slyly said.

"I couldn't give a flying fart of what that idiot thinks," she said, folding her arms.

"Pllleeeeaaasssseee Kairi?????" Selphie begged again, accidentally touching Kairi's sides, making her laugh and shift. Selphie sparked another idea and poked her sides again, causing Kairi to laugh even louder.

"Quit is Selphie! I'm ticklish!" Kairi cried, covering her sides. Selphie's grinning face soon caught on to Naminé and Olette, who surrounded her with hands threatening "We're going to tickle you until you pee your pants".

"No, wait no! Guys, c'mon! That's not fair!" she cried, backing up slowly as the three edged closer.

"Then wear the bikini," Naminé evilly grinned.

"No! No way!" Kairi cried. Her outburst signaled the three to tickle her mercilessly. Kairi cried in laughter, trying to pull away from the torture, when she finally gave in.

"O-o-o-okay!! I-I... I'll.. I'll wear the damn.. thing!" she managed to say through her laughter. The girls retreated in satisfaction and handed her the two piece. Kairi swapped it out of Selphie's hands and proceeded into the nearest bathroom to change. The girls smiled at each other and proceeded out to the back.

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The other part of the group already submereged into the water noticed the three girls coming out.

"Hey, where's Kairi?" Yuna asked, floating lazily on the water surface.

"She'll be out in a minute," Naminé smiled, and walked into the pool slowly, followed by Selphie and Olette. Naminé made her way to the three boys lounging in the corner.

"Hey guys!" she greeted, sitting herself next to Roxas, who was more than happy to see her.

"Hey Naminé. You look really amazing," Riku commented.

"Yeah. You even made Roxas drool," Sora added, getting a glare from the blushing blonde boy. Naminé laughed and pulled him into comforting hug.

"Where's Kairi by the way?" Riku asked, peering around, trying to spot an auburn head.

"She'll be out in a minute. Oh, no wait, she's here," she grinned. But that soon faded when Kairi walked out with a towel covering her whole body. She frowned and swam over to the edge where Kairi stood.

"Kairi, what's the deal?" Naminé asked, resting her arms on the edge.

"I hate wearing this thing. I feel naked," she said, blushing uncomfortable.

"That's what you're supposed to feel like," Olette said, sitting on the steps with Hayner.

"I know, and I don't like the feeling," she said, grasping the towl closer to her.

"C'mon Kai, trust me, it's not so bad," Selphie reassured, but it failed. Kairi only stood there, shaking her head. The three sighed and went back to their original places, leaving Kairi on the dry ground.

"What's Kairi doing? Why isn't she swimming?" Roxas asked as Naminé swam back.

"She's being self-conscious again," Naminé sighed, sitting back in place.

"Self-conscious about what?" asked Sora.

"Her figure," Naminé replied.

Sora tilted his head as his gaze set back on the towel-ed Kairi.

_Her figure? Is that why she would always wear baggy clothes? Hm, well, I want to see what her figure looks like..._

At this moment, Sora thought of himself as a pervert, but then reconsidered.

_I'm not a pervert, I'm just curious at what she's hiding. Maybe a an ugly wart, or a huge mole maybe?_

Sora sparked an idea.

"Hey, guys, I have a plan to make Kairi drop the towel," Sora whispered.

"What the heck? That's unusual of you Sora," Riku said lifting an eyebrow.

"Yeah, usually you would hide those feelings that concerned Kairi," Roxas added, getting a splash to the face. Naminé giggled.

"Idiots, I'm thinking she's hiding something," Sora whispered impatiently.

"Yeah, her body maybe?" Riku sly remarked, getting a splash to the face also. "But whatever, let's hear it."

The group whispered excitedly when the plan was made up. Sora swam over to the steps and made his way onto the dry ground, soaked in water. He walked over behind Kairi, but she whirled around, sensing danger. Sora knew something like this would happen, and he called out to Roxas and Riku.

"Hey, guys, did you put the sunscreen inside?" he asked fakely.

"Yeah!" Riku shouted. "It should be on the table!"

"And get me a soda while you're at it!" Roxas added. Kairi turned towards them, and heard the sliding door from behind open. She sighed in relief, when she noticed...

_Wait... They didn't go inside at all. Maybe I couldn't hear it while I was in the bathroom changing. But hold on, I heard the sliding door opening when the girls went out.. That means...!_

She turned around and went wide-eyed as a dashing Sora sped in her direction.

"Hold, on! Sora!" she screamed, but too late. In seconds, Sora bear-hugged her and both plunged into the water. Kairi struggled from Sora's grip and swam to the steps. She ran up, shivering and dripping, standing at the top step of the pool, where only her feet sunk in the water. Brown spikes arose from the surface of the water and started laughing.

"Sora!!! You're so dead, you idiot!" Kairi cursed, not believing he'd do something like that. She notice an eerie silence, when someone broke it with a "Whoa!!!"  
"Holy moley, Kairi! You look gorgeous!" Selphie shouted, hands encircling her mouth.

"Huh?" she asked, and felt a rush of wind on her skin. She noticed a familiar piece of cloth floating beside the ignorant, yet gawking brunette and stood still at the thought.

_Oh my god, I don't have my towel!!!_

Sora floated there, unaware of himself staring and flushing at the gorgeous figure that loomed out of the water. Kairi was slender, and had fair curves. The bikini suited her well, as it clung to her skin, showing more detail in her form. Her ivory skin shone, and her beautiful face blushed immensly. Kairi put all of her attnetion on Sora, and went red in the face.

"That's it Sora! You're dead!" she yelled rushing into the water and swam vigorously towards him.

Sora woke up from his fantasy and panicked as Kairi sped his way. He started to swim in the other direction, with Kairi chasing after. The group laughed at the entertainment, like it was a roadrunner and coyote cartoon classic. She eventually caught up to him and put him in an arm lock. The group seperated them since Sora was desperately trying to gasp for breath and decided to play some fun pool games, like the classic Marco Polo. Of course, Selphie would always end up being Marco since she couldn't be quiet very well. The sky turned an orange color, and the group decided it was time for barbecue. Riku was the chef, for he had experience with his dad before. Kairi shivered as she sat down on the pool edge still soaking wet, her legs plunged into the water.

"Sorry Kairi. You're towel will just need five more minutes to dry," Selphie reassured as she came back from inside.

"It's okay. It's not your fault," she said, glaring at Sora, who was munching on a burger. He noticed her stare and walked over as soon as she whirled around. He plopped himself next to her, submerging his feet in the water as well.

"Here," he said, offering his half bitten burger to her. He felt a bit guilty after what he did to Kairi.

She pushed his offering hand away. "It's okay, I'm not hungry," she said, trying not to sound harsh.

"Don't lie. I can hear you're stomach grumbling a mile away," he said, offering her once more. Kairi looked at him with big blue eyes, and slowly took the burger and ate tiny pieces. Kairi knew this was Sora's way of saying sorry. After all, Sora had rarely even said the word "sorry", so why should she refuse it? She ate it sheepishly, not knowing why the heat in her face kept growing hotter. Sora took off the towel around his back and placed it over the quivering Kairi. She was shocked that Sora was being this generous for once in his life.

"Sorry about earlier. It's not fun when everyone's not in the pool," he apologized, trying not to sound sappy.

Kairi kept eating little bites.

"And, besides..." Sora continued, starting to get nervous as pink-ness crept into his cheeks.

Kairi looked at him, wondering what he was going to say.

"You didn't... look bad..." he finally said, looking away from her. Kairi tilted her head.

"Look bad?" she asked.

He cursed under his breath, not believing he was saying this.

"Yeah.. You looked... p-pretty.. in that.. umm..bi..kini..." he stuttered, wishing a random lightning bolt would just strike him dead right now. Kairi felt a bloom of warmth swell within, and began to giggle.

"Wow, this is the first time I'm ever hearing you say something that sappy," she chuckled.

"Shut up. I'm apologizing and complimenting. Be grateful," he bluntly responded. Kairi only smiled, and offered the last of the burger to him. He took it and hastily ate it to avoid Kairi's sweet eyes.

After talking and laughing for about an hour, the group decided to call it a day since school was tommorow, and all went their seperate ways. Riku, Roxas, Naminé, Sora and Kairi walked down the silent shopping district as the crickets began their songs in the night. When they reached the street corner from Sora and Kairi's house, Naminé, Roxas, and Riku bade the pair good-bye and kept walking. Sora and Kairi proceeded up the quiet street and walked into their houses, not a single word from neither of them. Kairi noticed all of the lights in her house were off, and took it that her mother wasn't home yet. She sped upstairs and took a quick shower, feeling the pleasing embrace of cleanliness and proceeded into her room, only bearing a towel. The blinds were drawn over the window, to her relief, and she changed into her pajamas. She drew back the blinds and found Sora in his room rubbing his hair with his towel. She watched him, with a somewhat relaxed feeling and began to smile. A giggle leaked out as Sora's gravity-defying hair kept refusing to go down whenever he ruffled it with his hand.

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"Damn it. Why won't you stay down?" Sora irritably asked, trying to smoothen his hair down. The brown locks kept bouncing back up into it's regular position, making him sigh in defeat. He sat at his bed egde, unknowingly pondering about Kairi.

_Maybe, I should just be a bit nicer to her from now on..._

He turned his head towards her window to find Kairi looking at him. She snapped out of it and waved sheepishly. Why was Kairi looking into his room? How long has she been staring? He really didn't care, and was just glad to see her one more time before he went to sleep and he waved back hesitantly. Kairi drew the blinds over her room and shut the light. Sora sighed and did the same, tucking himself under the blankets.

_This feeling... It won't leave me alone..._

**End Chapter 10**

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A/N: How was it? Did you like it? This is where emotions and feelings begin to unfold. xD I'll be up with Chapter 11 very soon! Review please and thanks for reading! C8


	11. Bearing Children

A/N: Hello guys! Thanks for the awesome reviews! As promised, here's Chapter 11! And I warn you, some of you may get mad! xD Possibly at me or the characters... Well, enough of me before I give the whole thing away! Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does.

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**Chapter 11**

Kairi awoke to the hot morning and drowsily continued on with the routine. After her stomach was satisfied, she made her way to the front door, where Sora waited eating a peeled banana. The door closed shut and both proceeded to walk. Sora kept sloppily eating the banana when Kairi grabbed his hand that held the yellow food and took a bite. She chewed silently as Sora stared at her.

"Have you ever heard of asking?" he asked, taking another bite of the banana.

"Nope," she replied, gulping it down.

Sora shook his head after eating the last piece of it and threw the peel in the trashcan. The walk was hot, but the train ride was much worse since the crowded-ness made it difficult to breath. They reached the school and crossed the gates, when, all of a sudden...

**CRASH!**

Sora found himself face flat on the concrete when he noticed weight on his back and a couple of arms wrapped around his stomach. Kairi stood back, hands over her mouth when she quickly got on her knees to help up Sora when she found the thing, or more like the person, holding his body down. Her eyes grew wide when she noticed this person.

"Mima?! What in the world?!" Kairi exclaimed.

The name rang in Sora's ears as he turned his head towards the girl on his back. She had flowing black hair and big, vicious red eyes. Her eyes sparkled as Sora's blue eyes came into hers.

"Sora!! Do you remember me?" the girl asked in a high pitched tone.

"Unfortunately, yes," he muttered.

"What was that?" Mima asked sweetly.

"N-Nothing! Of course I remember you, Mima!" he laughed nervously.

"Sorry to interrupt your happy reunion, but everyone's staring," Kairi irritably informed. Indeed, everyone was looking at them with a "what in the world?" expression. Kairi helped Sora up, while Mima bounced on her feet. She was as tall as Kairi with a petite body and charming face.

"It's nice to see you again, Kairi," Mima sneered.

"Yeah, you too," Kairi said, not caring about her tone.

"And you too, Sora-poo!!!" she squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck. Sora just stood there dumbstruck, looking at Kairi for help. She sighed and rolled her eyes, deciding to help the poor boy.

"Well anyway, Mima, why are you here?" Kairi asked, noticing she was wearing the school's uniform.

"I moved here from Destiny Islands! My dad found a good job offer here! Isn't it great? Now Sora and I can be together forever!" she squealed, hugging his neck tighter. It looked as though Sora was about to cry, but he fought it back with a frown.

Kairi sighed in defeat and walked away from the "couple" to where Naminé waited for her.

"Hold on, Kairi! Wait! Don't leave me!" Sora called in desperation.

"What's wrong, Sora-poo? Don't you like having me here?" Mima innocently asked, letting go of his suffering neck.

Sora sighed, and Mima took it as a "No no, it's not that, pumpkin!" and hugged his arm tightly. Sora walked over to the usual spot where Riku and Roxas were, while Mima proudly clung to his arm. The two friends noticed the girl as Sora miserably sat down, Mima followed, still not letting go of his arm.

"You look vaguely familiar, "Riku said, scratching his chin."Have I seen you on MySpace?"

"Nope! It's me, Mima!" she happily exclaimed.

Riku and Roxas's eyes grew wide.

"No way. Mima?! The one who had a HUGE crush on Sora when we were seven?" Roxas asked, gaping at the girl who chuckled giddily.

"That's right!" she proudly said. Sora slapped his face with his hand, not believing this is happening to him. The bell rung and the students shuffled inside to their classes. To Sora's dismay, Mima had a lot of classes with him, and she'd repeatedly keep calling him "Sora-poo" while clinging hopelessly to his arm. Everyone was starting to get the feeling that the two were a couple. Sora obviously didn't want that, but what could he do? He didn't want to hurt the poor girl's feelings. Instead, he dealt with it and proceeded onto lunch, where the Kairi and Naminé-less group sat. Everyone was dumbfounded to find Sora with another girl. He sat down, and she copied.

"Everyone," he sighed. "This is Mima. She's another childhood friend."

"Hi! Nice to meet you all!" she greeted happily. Everyone greeted back in their own way, yet feeling a slight uneasy about this girl.

"So, where did you move from, Mima?" Yuna asked.

"Destiny Islands, where Sora-poo and the others came from!" she happily responded. The group looked at each other, obviously bewildered at the name "Sora-poo". Sora shamefully continued eating his apple, hoping someone would just shoot him.

"Sora-poo, eh?" Tidus teased.

"Yup! It's my nickname I give him!" she proudly informed.

"So I take it that you like Sora?" asked Olette, clasping her hands together.

"Not like! Love!" she responded, leaving the group to jerk back.

"Whoa, love? Don't you think that's going a bit too fast?" Wakka asked, about to drop his water bottle.

Mima shook her head. "Nope! Sora and I were in love back in Destiny Islands!"

Sora spit out chunks of chewed apple.

"Since when were WE in love?!" he asked loudly.

"Ever since you agreed to bear my children, Sora-poo!" Mima puckered. The group gawked at the reply, especially Sora, who just stood there like a statue with his mouth wide open.

"Whoa! Hold on, wait a minute! Sora, you agreed to BEAR her children?! When you two were CHILDREN?" Selphie exclaimed, not believing she hadn't heard those exact words.

----------Flashback----------

_Little Sora walked along the shore when a black-headed, red-eyed little girl stealthily ran up behind and hugged Sora tightly._

_"Sora, you like me, right?" Mima asked, unbearably hugging him._

_Little Sora looked at her. "Yeah, of course!" he said. Of course he liked her, they were friends after all._

_Mima smiled. "Then will you bear my children?"_

_"Um, okay," Sora agreed, not knowing what in the world "bearing children" meant. Maybe it had something to do with turning children into bears. He continued to walk down the shore with her clinging to his arm, like he was a teddy bear._

----------End Flashback----------

Sora's mind began spinning and started to panic as the memory rushed into his head.

_Sora, you're a complete idiot!_

"Helloo?? Sora??? Answer my question, will ya???" Selphie impatiently interrupted his thoughts.

Well, that's... I..." he said hesitantly, trying to find the right words. How was he going to say it? He never hurt a girl in his life, well, maybe Kairi, but she was an exception. Other than that, Sora hadn't really hurt anyone's feelings, and decided not to start now. To his relief, the bell rang, signaling the students to go to their next class.

"Whoop! That was the bell, time to go! C'mon Mima," he hurriedly said and dashed to the double doors of the main building, while Mima still clung to his arm and following behind. The pair made their way into the bustling hallway when Mima let go and frowned.

"Aww, this is where we go separate ways, Sora-poo," she sadly said. Sora sped to class in happiness, biding farewell before he turned a corner.

"Sorry Mima, see you later!" he called, rushing into the classroom. Kairi and Naminé's lunch began, and they sat at their usual grassy spot next to a wall. Kairi began eating her spicy tuna roll when Naminé cleared her throat for attention.

"Um, Kairi, have you noticed that girl who's always with Sora?" Naminé asked.

"Yup. She used to have a crush on Sora back when we were little," she contently said, even though she wasn't exactly content at the situation right now.

"Aren't you at least a bit disturbed by this?" Naminé asked, wondering if that was the right thing to ask.

Kairi shrugged. "I could care less about that idiot. He got himself into this mess."

Naminé sighed at Kairi's "care" and asked," Well, how did Sora get into it?"

Kairi finished her rolls and shut her lunchbox. "She asked for him to bear her children, and Sora said yes."

"What?!" Naminé exclaimed, causing Kairi to jump out of her skin. "Why did Sora say yes?!"

"He didn't know what it meant to 'bear children'. So he just said yes to make her happy. And now look what's happened," she said, crossing her arms.

"Wow. That's... weird. What's the girl's name?" Naminé asked interestingly.

"Mima. The name sends chills down my spine," shivered Kairi, causing Naminé to chuckle. The bell rang, and the last period began. The time went by and the end of school came. The students filed out rapidly, wanting to go home. Kairi rushed down to where Sora usually waits for her, which was the now bare tree, but he wasn't anywhere to be found. She walked slowly and leaned on it, wondering where he could be.

_He's probably getting all lovey-dovey with Mima. I shouldn't bother and just go home..._

She ignored the thought and began to wait. Kairi didn't know why it bothered her so much that Mima was here. Yeah, it bothered her back in childhood, but that was back then. Mima would always pull Sora away from her so she could play with him. Kairi would always be left alone whenever Mima would come to visit. But why is it bothering her so much? Was she scared that Sora would be taken away again? Wait a minute...

_Quit thinking like that Kairi. You and Sora aren't children anymore. Just go home without him. He'll have Mima to walk with._

For some reason, she felt a sting of pain inside her chest, and can't help but feel depressed. She hauled her bag over her shoulder and proceeded to walk home.

_Okay, so I'm walking alone today. It shouldn't be too bad. At least I don't have to get angry today..._

Kairi continued to walk slowly, but she didn't like the feeling of being alone. She hung her head low, watching her feet step in front of her, when all of a sudden, a hand clasped around her mouth.

_Oh my god! I'm gonna get raped!!!! Someone! Anyone! Sora!!!!_

She stood still, shivering and trying to peek at her attacker, when she noticed familiar brown spikes and blue eyes. Sora firmly clasped his hands around her mouth and made a "shhh!" gesture and peered around nervously for any trace of a black-haired red-eyed girl. He let go and sighed in relief, slouching and ruffling the back of his hair.

"What was that for?" Kairi asked, but quietly, since Sora was looking around nervously.

"I don't want Mima to find me. It's been hell with her all day!" he whined.

Kairi shook her head. "Then you shouldn't have agreed to bear her children."

"I didn't know what it meant back then!" he glared. "And besides, I thought she'd given up on me by now!"

"Well, you thought wrong," she said, continuing to walk. Sora walked behind.

"So now what? Could Kairi be...?" Sora began taunting.

She obviously knew what he was going to say. "Don't say it," Kairi bluntly demanded.

"Be..." he teased.

"No! Don't say it!" she demanded again.

"Jealous?" sneered Sora.

Kairi whirled around furiously. "I am NOT jealous of that hopeless, no-life _lover_ of yours!" she exclaimed, scrunching her nose.

Sora stuck out a tongue. "She's NOT my lover, ditz."

"And stop calling me a ditz, you pathetic excuse for an idiot," she snapped. The two continued to walk, despising each other like always. At least, that's what it seemed on the outside. Kairi couldn't be happier that Sora was walking with her. The feeling of loneliness soon disappeared when Sora showed up. Inside, she was prancing in a field of flowers and butterflies. But that feeling didn't last too long.

"Sora-poo!" called a familiar, yet annoying voice from behind. Sora stood still and felt the embrace of a bear. Kairi scowled as Mima tightly held the brunette boy.

"Where were you? I was looking for you all over the place so we could go home together!" Mima cried.

Sora looked like he was going to cry again. "I walk home with Kairi. We live next to each other."

Kairi felt a bit of payback as Mima glared at her. "Well my house is in the same direction as yours!"

Sora now looked like he was going to bawl.

"But it's a bit farther from you," she said sadly. Sora lightened up a little.

"Well anyway, if you two are done kissing each other, I'd like to get home today," Kairi interrupted angrily. The pair and the loner walked home, and Sora was the only one feeling the mix of disturbing auras. A happy, creepy aura emitted from Mima, and an evil, killing-like one emitted from Kairi. The three took the train, and proceeded to walk, until Mima let go at the corner street of Sora and Kairi's house.

"Well, this is where we part ways Sora-poo," she depressingly said.

"Yeah, unfortunately," he lied.

"See you later, Kairi," she said with an attitude, which soon turned into a sweet one.

"Good-bye my Sora-poo!" she bade, and kissed him on the cheek. Sora jerked back as Mima skipped along the street. Kairi was just dumbfounded and felt like she'd explode of anger. She marched up the street, leaving Sora to catch up. He rubbed the spot Mima kissed and felt guilty. He looked at Kairi who stomped annoyingly.

"I was right. You are jealous," he teased, which was a bad move.

"I'm not jealous! I already told you!" she fought back.

"Whatever, then why are you yelling at me?" he smartly asked.

"Just leave me alone, you idiotic pushover," she said, and stormed into her house. Sora continued walking into his house, to find his parents watching television. He walked upstairs and into his room, where he dropped himself on the bed and sighed deeply from the adventure he just had today.

_Great, now what am I going to do?_

**End Chapter 11**

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A/N: Uh-oh! What's Sora going to do now that Mima is here to stay? And what's up with Kairi? xO Stay updated with the next chapter, which will be coming very soon! Please review and thanks for reading! C8


	12. Cold Shoulder

A/N: o0 I never expected such quick reviews! As a thank-you, here's a quick update! xD But I can't promise another quick update. School is keeping me on a leash! Dx Anyway, here's the next chapter!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does.

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**Chapter 12**

The month of July hadn't really been a peaceful one Sora had hoped. Instead, a clinging Mima would add to his stress problems other than school. And what's worse, Kairi seemed to be making less and less contact with Sora by the day. Whenever he glanced at her when Mima was around, she'd have this mug expression, and Sora didn't really take a liking to it. Whenever he peered over at her window, blinds would only cover it. Whenever he tried to call her, she would either not answer or put on her voicemail. Whenever he went to come over to pick her up, Kairi's mother would only say," Oh, Sora, I'm sorry, you just missed her. She said she had to go to school early since she had questions for her math teacher. Again." He was slowly getting annoyed as the days with less and less Kairi contact kept coming, but he was also feeling empty without her presence or voice.

"Oh, what do I care?" he growled, walking alone to school. "She's a ditz anyway."

_Haha, it's funny how you're in denial..._

"How am I in denial?"

_Because you say you don't care about her..._

"Well, I don't..."

_Really? If you don't then why are you so depressed all of a sudden?_

"I don't know! Maybe it's because Mima won't leave me alone!"

_It's not just that..._

"Oh yes it is. It's been a living hell ever since she moved here."

_Then why don't you tell her to back off?_

"Because I can't hurt a girl's feelings."

_Then why did you hurt Kairi's back then?_

"..."

----------Flashback----------

Little _Kairi stood there, tearing at Sora's "I hate girls, and that means you too" comment. What would make him say something like that?_

_"B-B-But what did I..." she stuttered, bearing the tears welling down her plump cheeks._

_"I hate you! Just go away!" he shouted in anger, kicking the sand with his pudgy feet._

_Little Kairi curled her hands over her mouth and bawled as she ran away from him. Little Sora breathed slowly, anger dropping and slowly turning into guilt, as he watched Kairi run off between the big palm trees._

----------End Flashback----------

"She left me, that's why..."

He continued up the steps to the train when suddenly...

"Sora-poo!!!" Mima gleefully cried, grasping Sora's arm tightly, causing him to jump out of his thoughts and into reality.

"E-Ehm, Mima!" was all he could say.

She smiled widely. "How are you doing today, my precious Sora-poo?"

"Fine," he sighed, not wanting to deal with her right now.

Mima frowned. "Is something wrong, Sora-poo?"

He shook his head. "No, everything's fine."

She tilted her head and wanted to ask another question when the train sped up to the platform. The two walked in the surprisingly not-so-crowded train and sped towards Sunset Hill. The two got out of the train and walked to their school's location. Sora couldn't care less of the passerby's stares and comments, for he wanted to get to school quickly since it's the only place he can truly be himself. Both crossed the iron gates and Sora took Mima's hand and let go.

"Look, Mima. I have to talk with Roxas and Riku privately," he said, hitch-hiking to his best friend's usual spot.

Mima frowned, but nodded. "Okay, Sora-poo. See you later!"

With that, she danced off into the main building as Sora dragged himself over to the usual spot where the white and blonde-haired boys relaxed. He slumped himself on the patchy grass and hung his head low.

"What's going on, Sora? Why's Kairi showing up alone nowadays?" Roxas asked, shoving his binder into his black backpack.

Sora shook his head and shrugged simultaneously. "I don't know..."

"It's probably Mima," Riku responded, lying against the tree as usual.

"I'm getting the same idea," Sora agreed.

"Well, then why don't you tell her to leave you alone?" asked Roxas again.

"Because I-"

"Because Sora's an idiotic pushover and doesn't want to hurt a girl's feelings," Riku answered before Sora could even finish.

Sora glared, but sighed in defeat. "What he said."

Roxas lifted an eyebrow. "Well, than what about Kairi? Don't you think she's a bit hurt?"

"I don't know, dude. She always tries to avoid me, no matter what I do," he muttered.

"It's because you're a dope. She's obviously not liking what's going on between you and your psycho lover," Riku replied, peering over at his depressed brunette friend.

"So you're saying Kairi's jealous?" Sora asked, lifting his head up.

"Well, it seems like it to us. She always scowls whenever Mima comes around the corner and tackles you to the ground," Roxas answered, placing his index finger against his chin.

"Besides, Kairi, you, and Mima go way back. Remember when they would always fight over who you would play with?" Riku asked, returning his head in his usual position against the tree.

"Yeah, that was troublesome," Sora answered.

"Well, when Mima came into the picture, you would always play with her. I remembered Kairi swinging by herself at the playground on Destiny Islands," Roxas added, making Sora feel guilty.

"It's not my fault, Mima would always drag me away and I had to play with her. If I didn't she'd start crying," Sora said, placing a hand on his cheek.

"Do you think she'd start crying now? I mean, she's not a child anymore," said Roxas.

"Dude, she may not be a child, but she has her ways," Sora responded, not knowing how to get himself out of the situation.

"Tell me about it. She even tricked you into 'bearing her children'," Riku motioned, feeling a bit of anger in Sora's direction. The bell rang, and the three slowly got up and walked into their first class, bearing another boring day. The bell rang after his fifth class, and he walked into the busy hallway, when he spotted Kairi opening her locker in the far end. He jostled in between students and reached her in less than ten seconds.

"Kairi," he said, getting her attention.

She peered up, and turned away quickly once she knew who he was.

"What?" she bluntly asked.

"Look, I have to talk to you. I want to know why you're avoid-"

"I have to go, or I'll be late. Bye," she interrupted and slammed her locker shut, proceeding to the flight of stairs when Sora grabbed a hold of her arm.

"Kairi, don't walk away! We have to talk!" Sora said, not caring if the other students were staring.

"We'll do it later! I have to get to class!" she rejected, trying to pull away from him, but his strength cancelled hers out.

"There's never a 'later', Kairi! You keep avoiding me!" he contorted, preventing her from taking one step down the stairs.

"Because you're always busy!" Kairi yelled, getting annoyed.

"Busy with what?" Sora asked loudly, not caring about the bell signaling the start of seventh period.

"What do you mean 'with what'? Are you an idiot?" she insulted, jerking her arm away from him and shuffling quickly down the stairs. He followed relentlessly and ran in front of her.

"Yes, I am Kairi! Now just tell me why you're avoiding me!" Sora angrily yelled.

Kairi stopped in front of him. "Why do you even care?"

"Because it's annoying!" he replied loudly.

"First you find ME annoying. Now you find me AVOIDING you annoying? What is your deal?" she asked irritably loud.

"Excuse me, you two."

The fighting couple peered at the voice that had just interrupted them, and found one of the terrifying deans tapping his foot impatiently at the two.

"It's the start of seventh period, and you two are late. Detention tomorrow, after school, no exceptions," he strictly said, scribbling on a mini blue paper pad and handing them both a detention slip. Kairi took it with her mouth open, while Sora furrowed his brows. The dean stomped away in another direction and called, "Get to class, or it's two detentions." Kairi whirled infuriatingly and stormed off to her class. Sora watched her go, shaking his head and cursing under his breath.

_Damn it! Damn it all! Why did I have to go and do that?! Now Kairi'll never talk to me!!_

He yelled in his head, about to pull his hair out as he continued on to the seventh period, not caring what his English teacher had to say about Romanticism. The day ended, and Sora walked slowly out of school and, instead of waiting for Kairi countless times, he decided to walk home alone. Well, alone for the time being...

"Sora-poo!" Mima cried, habitually clinging his arm.

Sora didn't answer, he was too stressed out over Kairi.

"Sora-poo, what's wrong?" Mima asked innocently, edging her face closer to his.

"It's nothing," he replied, lying in both mind and body.

"Yes there is, Sora. Why won't you tell me? Don't you like me?" Mima asked, grasping his arms tighter.

----------Flashback----------

_Little Sora walked along the shore, whistling a tune when a speedy Mima rushed in front of him, puppy-eyed and puckering her lips._

_"Sora, do you want to play with me or Kairi?" she asked clenching her fists beside her waists._

_"Well, why don't we all play together?" Sora innocently suggested._

_"No! You can only play with one of us!" Mima demanded, pouting._

_"Well, I was going to play with Kairi today," Sora answered, scratching his cheek._

_"Wh-What? But why? Don't you like me?" Mima asked, piercing little Sora with watery puppy eyes._

_"No no! I like you, Mima! Don't start crying! I'll play with you!" he said, motioning her to not cry._

_Her frown bloomed quickly into a smile and she took his hand in hers._

_"Yay! Let's go play on the swings then!" she joyously yelled, dragging him to the playground._

----------End Flashback----------

"Sora!" Mima called.

"No, Mima, it's not that," he finally answered shaking his head.

"Then what is it?" she impatiently asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"It's nothing. Trust me," he said, continuing forward. Mima pouted and followed, curling her arms around his once again. The two continued on to the train station and sped back to the Twilight Districts.

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Kairi sat on her steps in the front, and gazed depressingly at the looming orange sky. Yet, pools of tears sat at her bottom eyelid, refusing to drop down since her head tilted upwards. The light breeze played with her dark red locks and touched her ivory skin, causing a feeling of overwhelming depression to engulf her. Why was she crying? Why is there this deep pain in her chest?

_Stop denying yourself..._

"I'm not denying myself."

_Yes, you are._

"No, I'm not!"

_Then why are you crying?_

"Because! I... I just...

_Because you're scared..._

"Scared of what?"

_Him being taken away again..._

"I could care less about that asshole!"

_Stop being a hypocrite..._

"I-I'm not!"

_Then why are you crying?_

The tears slid down slowly, following the path of her cheeks. The pain grew even deeper, and hung her head low, not wanting to look at anything else. Her thoughts span, causing confusion and anger to also mix with the depression. Why is she acting like this? What's going on?

----------Flashback----------

_Little Kairi waited patiently on the shore, a plastic bucket and two shovels in hand. She waited and waited and waited for her little brunette friend to come. The sky grew a lonesome violet, and Kairi sat there, still waiting for him, when she finally gave up and walked home. As she made her way slowly, her blue eyes caught a sight in the playground. She focused closer, and saw her brunette friend, Sora, pushing Mima on the swings, smiling and chuckling childishly. She watched in pain, as the bucket fumbled out of her little hands. Her blue eyes drooped, and she continued on home silently._

----------End Flashback----------

Kairi heard Mima's distant voice around the corner and rashly stammered inside, before the two turned the corner. She sped upstairs, not wanting her mother, who was washing the dishes, see tears. She locked her room quickly and fell on her bouncy bed. Her tears buried in her pillow along with her flushed face. She couldn't stand it. Why? Why her? Why HIM? Of all people, it had to be the one she hated most. The one who said he "hated" her. The one who endlessly got on her nerves. Who played mean pranks and insulted her. Who never left her alone. The one who was there to protect her during that thunderstorm. The one who she had the most memories with.

_Why...Why him...?_

**End Chapter 12**

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A/N: So how was it? Did you like it? nn Sometimes arguing with yourself is fun. So many conflicts in this chappie. Will they be resolved any time soon? xD You'll have to find out on the next update! Review please and thanks for reading! C8 (Lamatikah likes that face xD)


	13. Sleeping Beauty's Friend

A/N: Hello guys! Here's the next Chapter! It's really hard to try and stay ahead of the game and do school work at the same time. It's kind of killing me.. Dx Anyway, enough of my rambling! Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura does.

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**Chapter 13**

Kairi awoke to the vivid orange rays seeping through the blinds and lazily got up to get ready. The aroma of mother's special breakfast wafted in the house, molding with the heat. She brushed her teeth, making sure she covered every inch of her mouth with foamy toothpaste, and proceeded to rinse and spit.

"Kairi! Hurry and come down for breakfast! Sora will be coming by pretty soon!" her mother called.

Kairi's eyes widened.

_What? Sora's coming?? But it's 5:30!_

She hastily threw on her clothes and dashed downstairs to where her moth began to set up the table.

"Wait, Sora's coming? Why?" Kairi asked worryingly.

"Well, he told me he wouldn't mind walking with you to school, even though it's early in the morning," she said placing rice in between the eggs and bacon.

"But..." Kairi said, not knowing what to add next.

The mother sighed and placed her hips around her waist. "Kairi, what's going on? You seem to be acting strange now days."

Kairi slumped on her chair and began to slowly pick out her liking, not wanting to discuss it.

"It's nothing," she muttered lowly. The mother wanted to ask more, but she thought the better of it. After all, it's a teenager's life. She'll come around when she's ready to talk about it. The mother went over to the sink and began rinsing the oily pans, watching the television's broadcast show. Kairi kept a disgusted expression on her face as she ate silently, dreading every second that passed by. She left the plate spotless and drank her glass of orange juice slowly, occasionally taking sips, when her heart sank at the very sound that she refused to hear.

**Ding Dong!**

The mother wiped her hands on the sun flowered apron while walking toward the door. Kairi heard the twist of a handle and her mother's greeting.

"Good morning, Sora. Kairi will be here shortly."

Kairi twitched at his name, and began to put her dishes into the sink. She hoisted her bag over her shoulder and walked to the front door with a frown on her face. The mother stepped out of the way revealing Sora and allowed Kairi to go through. She closed her eyes, making no eye contact with him and bade ,"Bye, mom," as she started to immediately walk off. The mother lifted an eyebrow and waved, wondering what that was all about and closed the door. Sora rushed over and immediately interrupted.

"How long are you going to keep avoiding me?" Sora asked, walking alongside her.

"Until pigs fly," Kairi sternly replied, facing forward with her eyes straight ahead.

Sora slumped. "Look, you don't have to be jealous Kairi."

"I'm not jealous. How many times do I have to tell you that?" she angrily inputted.

"Then why the heck do you get mad whenever Mima's around?" he asked, stopping in front of her.

"Because looking at you two makes me want to puke," she replied irritably.

"Well, what are we doing that makes you want to puke?" he hopelessly asked.

"Being idiots. That's what," she bluntly responded and continued to walk. Sora watched her and shook his head as he ran to her, yet again.

"What do I have to do for you to stop ignoring me?" he pleaded sourly.

Kairi couldn't take his nagging, yet she felt so awful for talking to him like that. What was she going to do? She stopped and looked down in pain, trying to find herself the right words of an apology when suddenly...

"Sora-poo!" cried Mima, who pounced out of the street corner and onto Sora's arm. Her red eyes twinkled, but soon grew dim when she spotted Kairi up in front.

"Wha-, Mima?? How did you know I-" he stuttered.

"I overheard you talking to yourself about coming early to school!" she giggled, leaning her head on his shoulder.

_Damn it, Sora! You need to think and keep your mouth shut at the same time!_

Kairi shook her head and proceeded to walk, wanting to get away from the two in behind. Sora watched in defeat as Mima snickered at the sight, still clinging to his arm. He looked down and let out a deep breath, as Mima looked sweetly at him.

"Don't worry about her, Sora-poo. She'll get over it eventually," she somewhat reassured.

Sora shook his head. "Look, Mima, I want to walk alone today."

Mima's eyes sagged as she began to worry. "What's wrong, Sora? Did Kairi say something? Because if she did, then I'll go over to her and say something back!"

He only shook his head as an answer and proceeded to walk on, hands stuffed in his pockets and head hung low. Mima let go at his request and watched him walk around the corner.

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Kairi sat on the seats, watching buildings zip by in a blur through the window. Her facial expression could only be described as depressed. Confusion, anger, sadness, and pain mixed together in her chest. Why does this keep happening every single time? She hated it, she didn't want to keep feeling this way, but what could she do? She can't just turn off her feelings like a switch, she can't just drop it like it never happened. So what could she do to make it go away?

_You can always talk to the girls about it._

"I don't want to bother them with my problems."

_But they're your friends._

"The best of friends. But I don't want to bring them down with me."

_Suit yourself._

Kairi kept watching the orange sky and the clouds that slowly moved in the distance as the train car bumped and rattled towards Sunset Hill.

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Kairi got to school thirty minutes before Sora did, and hung out with Naminé until the bell rang. The class seemed so slow, father time must have been sleeping today. It was hard for the both of them to concentrate on each lesson, for they had their own troubles today. Detention would be waiting for them at the end of the day, and both weren't too enthusiastic about it. The final bell rang and the students packed up to leave. Kairi slid her tiny novel into her bright pink bag and slowly tromped down the flight of stairs and into the classroom detention was being held at. As she entered through the forest green door, a stern looking teacher focused his gaze upon her, expecting a certain blue detention slip. She handed it to him and he motioned her to sit down. She picked a desk at the far corner of the empty classroom and dropped her bag beside her.

"No talking or listening to music in detention," he bluntly said, picking up a reader's digest magazine and began to read. Kairi nodded apprehensively and folded her arms upon the desk and lay upon them. The only sound that could be heard was the constant ticking of the large clock hanging on the wall and the occasional flipping of pages by the teacher, when the door suddenly opened. Kairi kept her head down, not wanting to look at who it was.

"You're the other one, I take it," the teacher called.

"Yes sir," the other called. A moment of silence followed.

"Sora, eh?" the teacher asked, making Kairi's heart sink lower.

Another brief silence, and then...

"Sit on that side, so the two of you won't make any contact. No talking or listening to music in detention, got that?" he informed.

"Yes sir," Sora responded.

Kairi heard the shuffling of feet and a bag dropping on the floor. Sora dropped himself sluggishly on the desk and sighed deeply but quietly. He peered over at the other side of the classroom, staring at the auburn head that rested upon ivory arms. His eyes dragged, and he did the same, closing his eyes to hopefully asleep.

_What can I do now? I'm on the other side of the friggin' classroom! I need to get her attention!_

_I hate this, why does this always happen to me? Kairi, you're such an idiot!_

_C'mon Sora, think, what can you do?_

_What will come out of it if you keep avoiding him? Just apologize already! You can't stay mad at him forever!_

_I can always pass a not to her, but the teacher's right there!_

_But how will I apologize? I don't know what to say!_

_Damn it! I need a distra-_

**Creeaaakkk!**

The door swung open, causing Sora's head to tilt in its direction. Three familiar people walked in slowly, conversing with the teacher. There was Riku, talking very seriously with the teacher, and Roxas and Naminé stealing glances at the two, trying to secretly smile.

"I'm taking care of detention right now. Can we discuss the play later?" the teacher asked.

Riku shook his head. "She won't let us, she wants to see them right away. We only have a month to prepare, so she says we'd better start now."

The teacher sighed, then looked at the two with annoyed eyes. Roxas and Naminé peered over the shelf, waiting for some kind of approval. Sora peered over at Kairi, who was indeed watching, when the teacher replied to Riku's request.

"Alright then. But I better have a good explanation afterwards," the teacher said, sitting back in his chair. Riku nodded, Roxas and Naminé smiled at the response and proceeded out the door.

"You two, Sora and Kairi, you're both dismissed. You guys are to follow Riku to the theatre," the teacher announced.

The two rose up slowly, wondering what the heck that was about. Detention only lasted about five minutes! Both nodded and followed after Riku, looking at each other in confusion, then back at Riku. Roxas and Naminé went over to their respected best friend.

"Okay, what just happened?" Sora asked Roxas.

"Riku totally saved your guy's butts! That's what!" Roxas and Naminé said in unison, which made Sora and Kairi a bit weirded out.

"But, how did he do that?" Kairi asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Riku stopped in his tracks and turned around with a triumphant smile smacked on his face.

"With my mad getting-out-of-detention skills, that's how," he joked. Roxas and Naminé laughed, but Sora and Kairi just stood there, not knowing what in the world he just said. Riku slumped at the two's reaction and began to tell the real truth.

"The drama teacher needs people for the upcoming play, so when I thought about the detention you two were going to have, I arranged for you two to audition with the drama teacher and used that excuse to get you out of detention."

Kairi and Sora looked at each other in amazement, then back at Riku.

"Wait, we have to audition for a play?" Kairi asked uneasily.

"Yup," Riku nodded.

"What play?" Sora asked, not sure if he should have.

"It's the most popular play in Twilight! Known for it's irresistible romance, it's awesome story line, it's wonderful characters, it's-"

"Will you just tell us the name already!?" Kairi and Sora exclaimed in unison.

"Oh, right, sorry. It's 'Sleeping Beauty'," Riku finally answered.

Sora jumped as Kairi squealed in excitement with her hands clenched held up under her chin.

"Sleeping Beauty?! Oh my gosh, I LOVE that play!" Kairi cried, eyes twinkling beautifully.

"I knew you did! After all, you'd always act out the part of the main character whenever we'd watch the Disney version," Riku said, pointing up in the air. "And that's why I put YOUR name in the audition for the main role, Sleeping Beauty herself."

Kairi squealed even louder, hugging the white-haired boy with joy, as Sora stood by with an ugly frown on his face, not liking the sight in front of his eyes.

"Well, what am I auditioning for?" Sora asked, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

Roxas and Naminé looked at each other and began to giggle and snicker. Riku grinned widely, as Kairi let go and pondered what Sora's role was also.

"I'll give you a hint. It's starts with a 'P'," Riku hinted.

Sora thought for a moment, eyes growing wider with every step of realization.

_P-P-P-PRINCE???_

"You mean I'm auditioning for the prince?!" he exclaimed loudly pointing to himself, jaws dropped. Riku nodded in response.

"Hold on, wait, you didn't even ask for my approval!" Sora cried.

"Pfft, be thankful I got your butt out of detention!" Riku hissed.

"Okay, enough talk guys, the auditions will be starting soon!" Naminé said, checking Roxas's watch and ushering them towards the theatre. The five walked quickly to the entrance of Sunset's Theatre and entered to find a very crowded theatre with people in seats and those auditioning lined up behind the long satin curtain. Kairi could barely contain her excitement, while Sora looked even more nervous at how big the audience was. He spotted the drama teacher, who was a stern lady with a unique sense of fashion and tiny glasses.

"EVERYONE WHO IS AUDITIONING, PLEASE STEP BEHIND THE CURTAIN AND FALL INTO A LINE! SINCE WE HAVE ALL OF THE MINOR PARTS FILLED, WE WILL NOW BEGIN THE AUDITION OF THE PRINCE AND SLEEPING BEAUTY!" she yelled loudly, making everyone shudder. Riku pushed Sora and Kairi from the back and towards the steps that lead backstage.

"That's your cue!" Riku urged, as Sora and Kairi slowly made their way by themselves up the steps.

"Good luck you two!" Naminé cried.

"Break a leg!" Roxas cheered waving a hand. Sora grunted miserably, not knowing what he was getting himself into, while Kairi giddily tramped up the steps and immediately fell in the line of females. A student handed a script to her, and did the same with Sora when he finally reached the top. Kairi peeked at the words scribbled onto the paper. It seemed the play required a musical number and a series of parts.

_It's just like in the Disney series!_

Of course, she knew the songs and lines by heart, and recited them in her head. Sora on the other hand, squinted at the words and scowled.

"Alright! Sleeping Beauty's audition will come first! Will the first one please proceed to the stage!" the drama teacher called, folding her arms. The first girl followed the musical number, but screwed up the monologue, and was excused from the stage but received an applause. The next was terrible at both song and part, and was rejected before she had times to say her lines. The line of girls kept getting shorter and shorter by the minute. Kairi couldn't wait to show her acting skills, when, she spotted a familiar person. Mima proceeded to the front of the stage, and sang rather correctly, but squeakily and recited the parts in a monotone voice. It wasn't bad, she just needed more feeling into it. The drama teacher decided to put her aside for now and hear the others. Mima somehow quickly caught sight of Sora behind the curtain and smiled at him. Then she noticed something she didn't really want to see, an auburn headed girl at the last of the line. She hid her scowl and continued to smile pretty on-stage. The remaining ten girls were excused off of stage, when the last one, Kairi got up. Sora breathed deeply, wondering how Kairi will pull this off. Doesn't she have stage fright? Kairi began to sing the song beautifully and brilliantly in tune too. After that was done, the audience gave a loud applause. Kairi smiled and recited the lines with passion and articulation, not messing up a single thing. The drama teacher looked as though she'd cry.

"Kairi, you're wonderful! You definitely qualify for Sleeping Beauty!" the drama teacher cried, patting underneath her eye with a handkerchief. Mima scowled and looked at Kairi, who was smiling sheepishly as the crowd cheered.

"What about me?" Mima asked, pointing to herself.

"How about the evil witch? No one has claimed her yet," the teacher suggested, adjusting her glasses.

Mima scowled even more (if that's possible) and stormed off stage. The teacher ignored the tantrumous girl and focused all of her attention on Kairi.

"So, will you do it, Miss Kairi? You'd be excellent!" she praised.

Kairi smiled. "Of course! Thank you very much for the compliments!"

The teacher nodded and Kairi walked off stage to where Riku, Roxas and Naminé were waiting for and received hugs and praises.

"Alright! Now it's time for the prince's audition's to begin! Will the first one, please proceed on stage!"

As she said this, a big rush of boys from the audience suddenly jostled up the steps and followed in line.

_Pfft, no way am I going to do this. I'm outta here..._

He was about to turn around and give back the script to the student when he heard some of the guys in line whisper rashly.

"That was Kairi, playing Sleeping Beauty, right?" one asked.

"Yeah man, she's perfect for it!" the other replied.

"She's cute too! Maybe I should ask her on a date once I make the prince roll," the other added.

"Dude, no fair! I was going to ask her out!"

"No way, you're too nerdy. She'd totally dig me!"

"Shut up man. I'm the one landing a kiss on her!"

Sora froze at the word "kiss". In the backstage, there was a debate going on between who would make the better prince, and the boys all tried very hard to impress the drama teacher. But, unfortunately, she was more disgusted than surprised. Sora didn't want ANY of these guys talking to Kairi, let alone KISSING her, so he reconsidered and followed in the back of the enormous line since he walked out of his spot. Every guy that auditioned either winked or smiled at Kairi, hoping to somehow arouse her. It didn't work, but she waved to not be rude. The guys' line expired quickly, when Sora was the only one left onstage.

"Please, lord, be someone who can be worthy of prince!" cried the drama teacher, causing laughter in the audience. Sora cleared his throat, and began to sing the musical number. The teacher's eyes grew wide at Sora's melodious voice and Kairi smiled, remembering the time when he sang at Selphie's party. His voice was sweet, yet mature, and very prince-worthy! After the loud applause from the crowd, he recited the monologue and followed it perfectly. The drama teacher's eyes watered, and she immediately jolted up and clapped for the talented brunette.

"Wonderful Sora! Wonderful!" she applauded. Riku, Roxas, Naminé and Kairi clapped loudly too. He ruffled the back of his brown spiky hair in embarrassment. He noticed a lot of the guys in the audience scowling and pouting and smirked at his victory.

_Hmph, no way in hell I'm going to let you guys put even a finger on Kairi._

He jerked back, not believing what he just said in his head and soon focused on the drama teacher.

"Wonderful!! Absolutely splendid! This play will be brilliant! We will post the cast of the play tomorrow! Also, will the cast please come by the theatre room tomorrow to receive scripts and tips! Thank you everyone who auditioned and good luck!" she announced, and the students shuffled out. The gang of five managed to not get stuck in between the doorway and walked out onto the street lit concrete. The sky was now a light violet color with small clouds lazily floating by.

"Awesome dude! You guys'll rock the house!" Roxas shouted.

"I'm sure the play will be great!" Naminé added.

"Yeah, me too," Riku confirmed.

Sora and Kairi blushed lightly at the comments and made their way slowly to the front of the main school building. Kairi and Sora waved good-bye to their friends and proceeded on home with an awkward silence. No eye contact, no words, no nothing.

_Maybe it's time to apologize. I'm not even mad at him anymore..._

_Maybe I should say something. But what will I-_

"Um, Sora?" Kairi said looking the other way.

"Hm?" he asked, doing the same.

"Um, congratulations for making the prince's part," she congratulated.

"Oh, thanks. Um, you too about the princess's part," he replied.

Silence...

"I'm, um, I'm sorry Sora," Kairi apologized. Sora turned to her.

"I'm really sorry that I'm avoiding you and getting mad at you," she added, feeling weight lifting off of her shoulders. Sora lifted his eyebrows, and shrugged.

"About time you apologized! I thought I'd never see the day," he said, which was a very bad move.

"You know what? I take that back, I'm not sorry and you're an ingrate," she angrily said.

"Right, right. But at least you admitted that you're jealous," he smirked.

Kairi whirled towards him. "I told you I'm NOT jealous!"

Sora sighed and rolled his eyes. "Then what are you so mad about? There must be a reason!"

Kairi turned her head the other way, flushing.

"..."

"Well?" Sora asked, placing his hands in his pockets.

"I j...t d...n... w...nt y... t... b... t...k...n ...w...y ...g...n..." she faintly said.

"...What? Say it louder," he said, edging closer.

"I just d...n't w...t you to be t...n away ...gain..." she said a teeny bit louder.

Sora sighed. "What? Kairi, for crissake say it!"

"I just don't want you to be taken away again!!!!" she yelled irritably, covering her mouth like she had just spewed out something nasty. Kairi flushed and whirled in another direction, anywhere but Sora's. Both stood there on the spot, as if time itself had stood still.

"You... don't want me to... be taken away...?" he rephrased. "Kairi, what are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere."

Her head shook and she lowered her hands by her side. "It's not like that..."

"Then what is it?" he impatiently asked.

Kairi took a minute to answer. "Do you remember when we all used to play on Destiny Islands?"

"Yeah."

"Well, when Mima moved there, everything just got different. And you were somewhere else."

"Kairi, I lived right next to you."

"I know, but that's not what I mean!"

"Then get to the point already!"

Kairi felt the irritation seep in, but soon faded when she opened her mouth.

"I'm just afraid Mima's going to take my friend away again..."

Sora felt a rush of heat in his body.

"Come on, Kairi. Mima didn't take me away."

"Yes she did. You may not know, but she did."

"How?"

"What do you mean how? By using her sappy tricks to get you!"

Then he felt a rush of guilt swell within. He hadn't known Kairi had been hurt off of this, let alone for a long time! She bottled it up inside for almost a month and concealed it with anger. He didn't know what to say, but he wanted to do something. Anything. Just so she can feel better.

"Kairi, look, how about I make it up to you?" he offered, ruffling the back of his head.

She turned slowly, brilliant blue eyes engulfing him.

"How are you going to do that?" she asked softly.

He thought for a moment, wondering what in the world could arouse this girl.

"I'll... take you out somewhere. How about that?" he suggested. Kairi nodded in approval.

"Where to?" she asked.

"I don't know. Anywhere. You pick," he said, placing his hand back in his pocket. The streetlight above them flickered on, filling the spot with a yellow glow.

"How about the festival in two weeks?" she asked.

Sora shrugged, "Fine with me, as long as you're not ignoring me for the rest of our lives. Just let your mom know I'm taking you."

Kairi nodded, trying to hide that hint of smile wanting to show itself.

"We better get home, it's getting late," Kairi informed. The two walked to the overcrowded train station and proceeded on home. There was silence, but it wasn't awkward. It felt more like an air of relief since there was no more tension to bother them. Kairi proceeded up her doorstep when Sora called.

"You better wait for me tomorrow. We're walking to school and back together, you hear?" he called.

Kairi giggled secretly. "Fine, whatever," she replied in her usual voice she always has whenever talking to Sora. He smiled, but of course, didn't show it, and proceeded into his house. Sora greeted his parents and explained why he was so late and began up the stairs and into his room. He was in a good mood, and lay back on his bed, facing his ceiling. He peered over at the time, which read "6:32" and got out his things from school to begin doing homework. Kairi's caring words rang in his head continuously as he skimmed through his binder.

_"I just don't want you to be taken away again..."_

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A/N: Well? How was it? Did you like it? I really love Sleeping Beauty, since it's one of my favorite Disney classics! Well anyway, thanks for reading and please review! C8

**End Chapter 13**


	14. Swings

A/N: Hi guys! Here's Chapter 14! Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 14**

Kairi woke up instantly to the sound of her annoying alarm clock, and zoomed out of her room. Her teeth and hair were brushed in the speed of light, and she jolted downstairs for breakfast. She almost scared the wits out of her mother, who just got finished sliding the bacon onto the serving plate. She could tell Kairi was excited.

"Where's the fire?" she asked, placing the spatula into the pan.

Kairi laughed. "I'm just energetic today."

The mother soaked the pans and put on a smirk. "If only you were energetic every morning. Usually, you'd be dragging yourself down here, still looking half-asleep."

Kairi was listening, of course, with food in her mouth. She chewed and swallowed quickly every time the spoon fed her, and the doorbell rang. Kairi's heart jumped, and she immediately chugged down her orange juice. She heard her mother talking with Sora at the front as she quickly got up and almost pranced to the door. She pecked her mother on the cheek and stepped out side with Sora, who looked like he was sleep-walking. The mother bade the two good-bye and closed the door as they walked down onto the grey sidewalk. Kairi took a notice of how sleepy Sora's eyes looked and his constant rubbing of them.

"Didn't get enough sleep?" she asked, curving an eyebrow.

"Mm," was his response after he yawned. Kairi took it as a yes.

"Why's that?" she asked again.

_Because you wouldn't leave my mind yesterday..._

"Mind your own bees wax," he replied, ignoring his thoughts.

Kairi pouted and sighed, but she didn't mind his response. After all, this was how they usually grew up together. The two kept walking down the street corner, and of course, who the better to greet them so energetically so early in the morning?

"Sora-poo!!!"

Sora felt the blood in his arm rush out as Mima tightly curled on to it, but that's not the only thing he was feeling. Kairi shrugged and continued to walk on as if nothing happened, even though she desperately wanted to take a crowbar and ply the nagging girl off him. Mima instantly read Kairi's mind and decided to annoy her a bit.

"Oh, good morning Kairi. Didn't see you there," she lied.

"Yeah, you too," Kairi replied. " I didn't notice it was you until I heard the screech of a nail on a chalkboard." Sora struggled to keep in his laughter.

Mima scowled. "What did you just say?!"

Kairi snickered. "See what I mean? Even the cats are fighting because of you." Well, it was true after all. Ever since Mima asked, cats behind the brick wall began to bicker endlessly.

"I wouldn't be talking, you tomboy! At least I SOUND like a girl!" she countered, sticking her tongue out. Kairi's heard it a thousand times from an angry Sora back then.

"Mmm. Right, at least I'm not so naggy and annoying," she countered lazily, not knowing whether she's enjoying this or is just plain bored. Mima let go of Sora's arm and stormed right in front of her.

"You take that back, you witch!" she yelled, causing the birds in the trees to flutter away.

Kairi sighed," Actually, you're the witch. Weren't you recommended for her role yesterday at the auditions?"

Mima scowled ever more, not believing the words coming out of Kairi's mouth. Usually, Kairi wouldn't talk back since Sora was around, and Mima used that as her advantage. But today, it seems the advantage isn't working out all too well. Mima stomped past her and grabbed Sora by the arm, dragging him away.

"C'mon Sora, let's leave this wench!" she screeched, grasping him by the wrist. Sora looked nervous, and didn't know what to do. He looked back at Kairi for help, but was surprised to find a small smile of reassurance on her face. She mouthed the words "I'll be okay", and watched the two disappear behind the corner. It was now, that Kairi knew how caring Sora was of people's feelings. Sure, he's a pushover when it comes to girls, but it's just his way of saying "Can't we be friends?". Well, as far as we see it, it's not entirely working, but Kairi decided that Sora will have to do it himself, and of course, she'll be behind him all the way if he needs any support, secretly that is. She shook her head, but didn't admit to the pain in her chest, and she took another route to the train station. It was long, but it was also serene. The gentle gust occasionally flapped against her body, and the leaves would blow past in the wind's path. Kairi strolled past a children's playground, and found little toddlers playing excitedly on the monkey bars and going in and out of pathways and mini plastic doors, but one thing caught her blue eyes. There, on the swings, was a little girl holding a worn teddy bear all by herself, looking down at the sand in a lonesome gaze. Kairi felt the isolating feeling, and empathized with her. She walked beyond the gates that separated the playground from the outside, and over to the lonely little girl. Crouching down to her level, she moved her auburn locks out of her ocean eyes and spoke gently. The little girl acknowledged her presence and hid herself behind the torn-eared bear.

"Are you here by yourself?" Kairi asked softly.

The girl's silver-like eyes stared into Kairi's, and slowly nodded.

"Isn't your mother or father with you?"

The little girl shook her head. "My friend, he said to wait for him here."

Kairi smiled. "Is he your age?"

The girl shook her head again. "He's four months older than me."

She felt a calm and caring presence from Kairi, not at all a scary one. It was the presence of a mother.

"Would you like me to wait with you, until he comes?"

The girl hugged her bear tighter. "But, aren't you busy?"

Kairi shook her head lightly. "No, not really. I don't want you to be out here by yourself."

The little girl smiled faintly. "It's okay, I can take care of myself."

The smile on Kairi's face dragged a bit, along with her eyes.

----------Flashback----------

_"Kairi, what are you doing out here? It's almost 7 o' clock. Maybe you should go home," little Roxas said, staring at the little auburn headed girl on the swing._

_"It's okay, Roxas. I'm going to wait a bit longer," she said, faking a smile._

_"But it's dark! Aren't you scared?" he asked, looking around nervously._

_She shook her tiny head. "Nope! I'm brave!"_

_Little Roxas heard his mother calling in the distance, and he turned back towards her again with a worried expression._

_"Don't worry about me! As long as Sora keeps his promise, I'll go home as soon as he gets here!" she reassured happily. Little Roxas nodded and walked off home, looking back on occasions to make sure she was safe and sound. The time flew by to around 7:30, and Kairi slowly swung by herself, looking at the ground and at the entrance gates. Still, no sign of a spiky brunette came by. Her small heart sank, taking in the reality that he wasn't coming after all. She slowed to a stop, and hopped off the swings and onto the sand. Little Kairi headed home, with her head hung low and disappointment filling her heart._

----------End Flashback----------

"Miss?" called the little girl.

Kairi blinked and focused back on the little girl in front of her.

"My friend's here, so you don't have to wait anymore!" the little girl excitedly said, pointing over Kairi's shoulder. Kairi looked back to a running boy with a big smile on his face. It pained her a little bit, but she forced a smile.

"I'm glad your friend is finally here," she said warmingly.

"Thank you for waiting with me, ma'am!" the little girl thanked brightly. Kairi nodded and proceeded out of the playground without looking back. She faintly heard some of their exchanging words.

"You kept your promise!"

"Haha, I sure did! I don't go back on my word!"

It pained Kairi so much, that she walked away quickly, not wanting to expose any emotions to that sweet little girl or rather anyone else. She proceeded on to the train station, deciding she needed to go to.

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Sora waited on the grass with his two best friends, closely watching the iron black gates for any sign of an auburn-headed girl to walk through, but only unfamiliar students walked through.

"Chill, dude. She'll come sooner or later," Riku said, irritably flipping through his binder for history notes.

Sora simply sighed, not knowing if he should respond to that or not. The bell rang, and the two best friends miserably got up and went inside the main building, followed by a back-looking Sora.

_Where is she?_

Classes got started, and Sora kept looking outside the window for any girl to come through, but no sign whatsoever. He began to worry, and began debating whether or not leaving her alone was a smart move. Well, obviously not. He couldn't concentrate on the teachers' lectures and whatnot. Fifth period had ended, and he proceeded out the door, when his heart jumped. There was Kairi, taking out books from her locker, but she had a sad-looking face. Sora scrunched his eyebrows and went over to her.

"Hey, where were you? Were you late?" he asked, consentingly, but also, trying to put attitude in his voice.

"Huh?" she asked, finally noticing someone was talking to her. Sora raised an eyebrow. "Oh, no, I wasn't late. I got here just in time before the final bell rang."

"Oh, I see," he replied. Kairi shut her locker lightly, but her gaze was glued onto it.

"I think I'm going to go home early," she said, eyes drooping.

"What? Why?" he asked, not knowing where this statement came from.

"I don't think I feel all that good," she answered, letting her arm droop to her side and facing him.

"Pfft, you just want to ditch school," he said, folding his arms and pouting. Kairi managed to smile, causing Sora to turn away immediately and flush.

"Fine," he said, bulging his lower lip. "Just, be careful, on your way home."

Kairi nodded. "Thanks..."

She walked off, grasping the books in her arms as Sora watched her sink lower in the ground with each step she took. He sighed, wanting to ask her more questions, but decided not to push it. Was she physically sick? Could she have a fever or something? Or does she really want to ditch school? He shook his head and proceeded onto the next class, still worrying about Kairi's condition. The final bell rang, and Sora proceeded on home. Just so Mima won't follow, he took another route to the train station, which was a bit longer than usual. He noticed a lot of stores and shops he didn't expect to find in this side of Sunset. There were fancy cafés, antique shops, and what seemed like a children's clothing store. The trees lined up neatly and rustled lightly with the wind. The brick walls turned into a long black fence that surrounded a children's playground. His eyes caught something unexpected, and his heart, for some reason, sank deeply. Kairi was in the empty playground, sitting on a swing looking down at the sand. He wanted to go over to her, but he couldn't. Something wasn't letting him move his feet or his mouth.

----------Flashback----------

_Little Sora dashed as fast as his little feet could handle to the playground from the shore. Mima had manipulated him again into playing with her the whole day on the seaside, gathering seashells and making sandcastles. When he finally crossed the iron gates, his shoulders dropped, and he gasped for air, but he did not want to see this sight. The playground was completely empty. Only the sound of crickets occupied the area, and the glow of lamps at the side walks put a faint tint of yellow on the bars. He peered over at the clock, which read 8 o' clock. As soon as Sora regained air, he looked down depressingly, and slowly started off home._

----------End Flashback----------

Kairi slowly got up from the swings and went to the other side of the gates, proceeding on to the train station. Sora watched in pain, still not able to speak or move. He decided to just let it go, and go home. And so he did, with the lowest frown he could bear. It made him look like an emo boy, but that wasn't the case. He got aboard the train and sped towards the Twilight Districts, wanting to do something for Kairi to stop frowning like that as soon as he reached home. He paced quickly, when he bumped into someone on accident.

"Sorry about that, I was in a ru- Naminé?"

Indeed it was Naminé, on her bottom along with various things scattered on the sidewalk. Sora hoisted her up and quickly gathered the things back into the bag.

"Sorry Naminé. I was in a rush," he apologized.

"Haha, don't worry about it. But thank you anyway," she thanked. "How come you're in a rush to go home?"

"Um, well, I just have something to take care of," he said, still refusing to let anyone know about his oblivious feelings for Kairi.

"Hm, does it have something to do with Kairi?"

Nam hit a bull's eye.

"No no! Nothing like that!" he lied nervously.

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, well, just to let you know, I saw her walking home alone again. I thought you two made up."

"W-We did! It's just, she wasn't feeling well so she went home early from school," he stuttered.

"Oh, I see. Well, I just got done shopping and walking her home, so maybe you should go and cheer her up," she suggested smiling warmly.

Sora nodded in agreement. "Thanks, Nam. I'll do that."

Both waved good-bye and Sora paced home quickly, dodging and dashing in between people and buildings. He reached the corner and immediately started up Kairi's doorstep, pushing the button that rang the bell. Kairi's mother answered.

"Oh, hello Sora. What brings you here?" she asked softly.

"Hello. I just want to make sure Kairi's doing okay," he said, trying to calm his breathing down from dashing.

The mother's expression worried a little. "She's fine, but she won't get out of her bed."

Sora lifted an eyebrow. "Is she sick or anything?"

"No, she isn't. I checked her temperature and everything, but she just wants to stay in bed."

"Is it alright if I go up there?"

She nodded gently. "Sure. Just be sure to be a bit quiet."

He nodded and let himself in and up the stairs. He stared at the starry sign that read "Kairi's Room" and knocked gently.

No answer.

He knocked gently again, a little louder this time.

Still no answer.

_Maybe I should just go in. I hope it's not locked._

He turned the door handle lightly, and slowly opened the door, letting light into the dark room. He could faintly see a lump on the bed, and he proceeded cautiously. The floor creaked with every step he took, but the bundle didn't seem to budge. Once he reached the bedside, he stood on his toes and peered over, trying to get a glimpse of her face. The top folds of her blanket covered her head, and Sora could hear muffling sounds from within. He slowly slid the blanket off of her face, and found something that pained him the most. Kairi's flushed face was wet with tears, along with her pillow. She was sleeping, but the tears kept sliding down her cheeks and absorbing into the pillow. Sora didn't know what to do. He didn't want to wake her, but he wanted to do anything in the world for the tears to stop. And what hurt the most, was that HE was the cause of all of her tears, and he knew it. He tucked the blanket securely and exited her room, quietly shutting the door behind him. He walked down the stairs slowly and out onto the front. He thanked Kairi's mother and walked into the next house, which was his. Slowly going up the stairs, his body dropped onto the bed, face flat. He hated seeing her like that. He hated seeing tears falling from a person's eyes. He didn't get it. What could've caused her to cry like that? The memory of him and Kairi on the swings flashed in his mind, when, he finally fell into a deep slumber.

_"Do you promise?" little Kairi asked, with hope in her eyes._

_"Promise," little Sora confirmed. "We'll always be together."_

**End Chapter 14**

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A/N: So, how was it? Did you like it? Dx A lot of emotion going on in here. Poor Kairi...xO Review pretty please! And thanks a bunches for reading! C8


	15. Boys Will Be Boys

A/N: Hello guys! Thanks a bunches for the reviews! Here's Chapter 15! And be prepared for another character addition!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 15**

The routine followed as usual, and Kairi felt refreshed and new. She knew of her tears yesterday, but she didn't let that stop her. She knew the promise, and strongly believed that it's not broken just yet. She ate breakfast casually and waited for the doorbell to ring. As expected, it did, and Kairi went out of the door, pecking her mother before she closed it. She turned towards Sora, who, for some reason, seemed to be looking down. She tilted her head.

"Hey, you okay?" she asked.

He looked at her, surprised she's even talking to him.

"Y-Yeah," he answered, wondering if it was all an act or something.

Kairi pouted and grabbed a hold of his cheeks.

"You're lying," she said, stretching them back and forth.

"Ow ow ow!! Kaiwi tha hwurts!!" he cried, grabbing a hold of her wrists. She let go and giggled at the sight of Sora rubbing his cheeks with a scowl on his face.

_Well, at least she's smiling again. Maybe I'm just over-reacting._

Sora's eyes grew wide at his thoughts.

_What am I saying? I sound like her boyfriend or something!_

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't help but blush. Kairi saw the pink in his nose.

"Now what? Do you have a cold or something?" she asked again, pointing at his nose. He covered it up rashly and muffled through his hands.

"No," he bluntly replied. Kairi shrugged and looked onward. Sora peered over at her, letting his hands drop at his side.

_I couldn't care less, as long as she's not crying._

The two walked down the daily route, surprised that Mima hasn't pounced on them yet when they turn a corner like she usually does. They thought she gave up, and proceeded on to the crowded train and to Sunset Hill. As the two crossed the iron gates, they couldn't help but notice a crowd next to the main building. And what's even weirder, was that the crowd consisted of females.

"I wonder what's going on," Sora said.

"Maybe they're looking at a dog! C'mon Sora! I want to see a dog!" Kairi excitedly said, and dragged Sora over to the crowd. The girls squealed and whimpered and sighed at whatever their focus was on. Kairi managed to see what was all the commotion between the herd of girls, and found that it wasn't a puppy. Instead, it was a guy, and a very charming one too. He was as tall as Sora, and had beautiful dark umber hair and gorgeous manly eyes that were purple. His body was built and toned perfectly, and what more to top it off with a dashing smile? The girls tittered at his chuckles and squealed at his words. It was a disgusting sight, well, to Sora actually.

"Well, I just transferred here from Hollow Bastion," the young man said.

"What's it like there?" one girls asked interestingly.

"Not a lot of people live there, but it's a very nice town. There's an old castle right behind Zero District and a Great Maw on the other side of it."

"Oooooooooooo," all the girls said in unison.

Sora rolled his eyes. Kairi tilted her head.

"Hollow Bastion? Where's that at?" she unknowingly asked out loud. The young man acknowledged her presence, and gave pleasing smile. The girls parted as he walked over to the auburn girl and put on a very charming face.

"Well, it's over the country, so I don't really have an estimate," he smoothly said.

Kairi lifted an eyebrow. "So how did you arrive here?"

"By train of course," he replied, gazing into her blue eyes. Sora didn't like the way this guy was looking at Kairi.

"Oh, I see. Oh yeah, I'm Kairi by the way. Nice to meet you," she greeted, stretching out a hand for him to shake. But he didn't shake it. Instead, he lifted her hands in his bold ones and gave it a gentle kiss. Sora stood there wide-eyed.

_Who does this guys think he is?_

"My name is Erol. It's a pleasure to meet you too," Erol suavely said.

_Well, that answers my question. But still! Who does this guys think he is? Kissing Kairi's hand like a-_

"Ehm, thanks...?" she said, not knowing what to do next. The female crowd in the background growled behind, along with a steaming Sora. Erol looked up at the pouting brunette with little concern.

"Is that your boyfriend?" he asked, still holding Kairi's hands in his. Kairi jerked back.

"Him?! Oh no no no no no! He's one of my best friends," she nervously laughed, Sora snorted.

"Oh really. Then I'm guessing it wouldn't be a crime to befriend a beautiful girl?" he asked, looming closer.

Kairi leaned back a little. "Um, sure, I guess not?" she answered half-heartedly. At this time, Sora's head looked like it'd explode of anger.

"So, how about you show me around the school?" he asked, STILL not letting go of Kairi's hand, but Sora soon jerked it away.

"Sorry, we've got to go," he bluntly answered. Kairi's shocked expression looked back at Erol as Sora dragged her away from him and the jealous girls.

"Whoa, wait, hold on Sora!" she cried, trying to keep up with his walking speed. Sora ignored and kept walking until they were out of range. Kairi jerked her hand out of his, not believing what he just did.

"Sora, why did you go and have to do that?" Kairi asked angrily.

"Because that guy's a creep!" he replied in the same angry tone.

"How is he a creep when you've just met him?" she asked again.

"Because! I just know!" Sora made up.

Kairi sighed and shook her head.

"We were just beginning to be friends too," she muttered. Sora popped a vein.

"Well, if you want to hang around 'a-hole' or whatever his name is, then fine! See if I care!" he yelled and stormed off. Kairi's expression was that of a surprised one. What in the world was that about? The bell rang, and the students shuffled through the double doors and into the main building. Erol was certainly a gentleman to the girls and teachers, especially to Kairi. Even an idiot, yes even Sora, could tell Erol was particularly interested in her, although, Kairi remained oblivious to his feelings and just thought of each other as friends. Throughout the day, Kairi had been seeing Erol in almost all of his classes. He even came to her locker to greet her, to Sora's dismay. Ever since Erol had taken a liking to Kairi, all of the girls seemed to be a tad jealous. Even the guys were jealous that Erol could spend so much time with her. Whenever Sora would walk into the hallways, he'd see Kairi and Erol laughing at a joke Erol told or something, adding to his irritation. What's even worse, was that Kairi was ACTUALLY laughing WITH him. Whenever he witnessed it, he'd pout and storm off into his next class, which was physics, bewildering his best friends.

"Um, you okay, Sora?" Riku asked, moving his book out of a grumpy brunette's way on the long desk.

"Peachy," he replied, immediately dropping his head on the cold surface.

"You don't look so peachy. You look more like a cherry since your face is all red," Roxas inputted, opening his textbook.

"Can it," he scoffed. "I'm just not in a good mood today."

"Right, right. Well anyway, have you seen the new kid?" Riku said, flipping through the textbook pages lazily.

"Yeah. He seems like one of those stuck-up popular kids. What was his name again?" Roxas asked, lying back against the chair.

"Erol," Sora growled. The two lifted an eyebrow and looked at each other.

"You know him?" Roxas asked.

"Hmph, unfortunately," Sora replied.

"Why is it 'unfortunate'?" Riku asked, laying an elbow upon the table.

"None of your beeswax," Sora snapped, putting his forehead against the black top.

Roxas and Riku exchanged looks of confusion, when their attention averted to the sound of a door opening. A boy with dark umber hair and purple eyes walked in and bowed respectfully to the teacher. All of the girls obviously knew who he was, and squealed when he walked in the door. The teacher introduced him as Erol from Hollow Bastion, and was instructed to take the seat over in the far corner. It was like he was a fashion model. The girls gave him smirks and smiles and fluttery eyes that twinkled. He'd give a warm smile back, as he sat down in between two giddy girls. Sora gave a "pfft" as Erol took a chair and used his charms to flatter the two ladies at his table. He was quickly getting on Sora's nerves. By the end of sixth period, Sora stomped out of the classroom, hands shoved into his pockets and an angry expression smacked on his face.

"Sora!"

He whirled around, but lightened up a little to find Kairi jogging towards him.

"What?" he asked irritably.

"Don't wait up for me after school, okay?" she said, ignoring Sora's irritating tone.

"Why?" he bluntly asked.

"Erol asked to walk me home," she said. A raging monster formed in Sora's chest.

"Fine, go with that show-off! But don't come crying to me if he tries something weird on you," he harshly said before turning around and going to his next class.

"What's wrong with you, Sora? At least Mima will walk home with you," Kairi said with a defensive voice. Sora ignored and kept walking, leaving Kairi to pout and strut to her next class. The remainder of the day hadn't improved at all for Sora, for Erol was in his last class and sat right next to him. He ignored his presence and buried his face in his book.

"Psst!" Erol whispered to him while the teacher boringly lectured.

Sora looked over with the eyes of a killer.

Erol smirked, "Why the long face there, Sora was it?"

He ignored and went back to listening to the teacher's monotone voice.

"So, you are Kairi's boyfriend," he stated, flipping the page playfully with a grin of a Cheshire cat.

Sora ignored again, but the monster in his heart stopped when he said that.

Erol sighed, "It's no wonder she denies her relationship to you..."

He had hit a nerve in Sora's head. "What did you say?" he threatened quietly.

Erol's smirk only grew wider. "You heard me. I really do feel sorry for Kairi. I mean, she's going out with a brute after all..."

"Don't give me your crap, show-off," Sora angrily bickered.

"Show-off? Me? I don't think so, at least, Kairi doesn't," he smartly remarked, making Sora even more angry.

"Why are you even talking to me about her?" Sora snapped.

"Because you like her, am I right?" he asked, playing with his pencil.

"Why do you care?" Sora asked, burying his face into his book again.

"Because I'm the one who's going to capture her heart, and I need people like YOU to stand out of our way," Erol emphasized. The monster in Sora's chest roared in anger and went wild.

"Don't you even DARE laying a hand on her," her angrily threatened, leaning over his desk.

"And what if I do?" Erol asked like a smart-ass.

"I'll tear that arm off, that's what," Sora replied, scrunching his nose.

"Then I'll just have to get to Kairi before you do," Erol sneered, pretending to look up at the teacher.

"No way. You're not walking her home, I don't trust you even a tiny bit," said Sora, folding his arms.

"That's not up to you, now is it?" Erol pointed, making Sora even angrier. He wanted the throw his textbook at the guy, but was afraid he'd be put into jail or something. The two watched the clock relentlessly, waiting for the final bell to ring. Before the second ring of the bell had come, the two rivals sprinted out of the classroom and to where Kairi waited out in the front. She had just gotten to the meeting spot when she spotted two boys racing towards her. When they came to a screeching halt, Kairi just stood dumbfounded at the two.

"C'mon.. Kairi.. I'll walk you.. home..." Erol panted, giving a victory smile.

"No... way... You're going.. with... me Kairi..." Sora gasped.

Kairi was very confused.

"Um, what's going on?" she asked obliviously to the two who were yelling at each other.

"Kairi asked ME to walk her home!" Erol proclaimed.

"She didn't ASK you! You offered!" Sora corrected loudly.

"So what? She accepted anyway!" Erol yelled.

"Who cares?! I still don't trust her with you!" Sora wailed.

"Hold on, you two!!!" Kairi yelled, breaking the bickering.

"Look, Erol asked and I agreed to it," she said, facing Sora. Erol stuck out a tongue behind her back. The monster drooped depressingly. "And Sora's one of my best friends, so why don't we all walk together?" she said, turning to Erol, who's confident face had turned into a "what the hell?!" face. Sora folded his arms and smirked in glorious victory.

"Fine with me," Sora immediately said.

"Hmph, alright Kairi, if that's what you want," Erol sighed in defeat. Kairi smiled warmly, lightening up the mood and all three proceeded to walk. Of course, the lightened mood didn't last that long, for Kairi always sensed the rivalry between the two boys. She sighed to herself, walking in between them to prevent any fighting.

_Boys will be boys..._

Kairi decided she was a bit thirsty, and decided to go to the smoothie shop right next to the station. The three walked on into the orange sunset and down the complex. They filed in to the small shop and Kairi proceeded to the counter.

"Could I have a Strawberry Swirl please?" she asked, pointing to the menu above.

"That will be 150 munny, please," the server said. Kairi began to dig into her bag, when a hand stretched in front of her.

"I'll pay for it," Erol politely said, handing the cashier the munny. Sora pouted, as the two sat down on an empty table to wait for the smoothie to be made. He was feeling a bit thirsty too and ordered a different one. He sat down with the two, ignoring the sneers and snickers from Erol. The smoothies rang up quickly and the three continued on home. Kairi sipped her cup and allowed the taste of strawberry and vanilla to mix in her mouth.

"Mmmm! This is good! Thanks a lot, Erol!" she thanked, sipping her cup some more. He smiled warmly, and sneered at the growling Sora next to him, who drank his smoothie quietly. Kairi licked her lips at the taste and finished it rather quickly, while peering over at Sora, who drank his smoothie boredly.

"What kind is that?" Kairi asked from behind, noticing the gold color swishing around with streaks of white in his cup.

"Fruity Paopu," he responded, letting go of his straw.

"Can I try?" she asked sweetly, taking the cold cup. She sipped it, licked her lips, and then sipped it again with an expression of joy in her face.

"Wow, this is really good! Can we share?" she asked with a pretty smile. Sora immediately flushed.

"I don't care," he said, ruffling the back of his hair. Kairi took it as a yes and sipped it joyfully at the taste. Erol pouted as Sora took his turn to grin. The three continued to walk on home, Kairi and Sora repeatedly exchanging the cup of frost for a drink, while Erol watched in jealousy. Riding the over-crowded train, they walked past the shopping districts and reached the corner street of Sora and Kairi's house. This is where Erol had to part ways with her, like Mima did with Sora.

"Thanks for buying me a smoothie, Erol," Kairi thanked warmly.

"No problem. Anything for you, Kai," he said, leaning over, like he was expecting a kiss. Kairi didn't see his hint and gave him a hug and a pat on the back instead. He sighed and hugged her back, glaring at a Sora whose tongue stuck out.

"See you later then!" Kairi bade, waving to Erol as he walked out of sight. Sora sighed in relief as he disappeared behind the corner as the two continued to walk on home, when Kairi broke the silence.

"That was a really good smoothie!" she said out of nowhere.

"I bet it was..." Sora angrily replied. Kairi looked up at him and wondered about his tone of voice.

"I meant the Fruity Paopu one," she said, trying to calm him down.

"Right," he bluntly replied.

"I didn't know Paopu's still existed," she admitted.

"Really, then how do you think they made that smoothie?" Sora rudely remarked.

"Don't mock me," she pouted. "I just thought Destiny Islands didn't grow them anymore."

"Well, they still do," he said, feeling bad that he couldn't say anything else. The pace to walk home slowed a little.

Kairi giggled a bit. "Do you remember when Roxas, Riku, me and you shared a Paopu Fruit?"

Sora furrowed his eyebrows. "Yeah, what about it?"

"And the legend that was said about the legendary fruit?"

Sora paused to think for a moment. Kairi laughed at his memory span of a goldfish and decided to inform him once more.

"If you share it with another, your destinies become intertwined. They'll be a part of each other's lives forever."

Sora looked at her.

"Okay... So what? It's true, since we're all here together," he said.

Kairi chuckled. "What did we drink just now?"

"A Fruity Paopu smoo-"

Sora quickly registered the message in his mind and started to flush.

"D-D-Don't say stupid stuff like that! Besides, it's only a legend long ago that people tell to make tourists eat 'em," Sora staggered.

"Haha, geez Sora, I didn't know you were THAT sensitive about the Paopu," Kairi laughed, poking at Sora's pink cheeks. He gently blocked them away, feeling the monster in his heart get all warm and giddy. They reached their houses and proceeded up the stairs, when Sora gave one last word.

"I still don't like that Erol guy. You're still walking with me to and from school, got it?" he said with an attitude.

"Yeah yeah, don't have a cow just because you're jealous," Kairi replied, waving a hand.

"Good. That's what I- Hey wait! I'm not jealous!!"

**Slam!**

Kairi had already shut her front door before Sora could even yell anything back at her. He pouted and went inside his house, ignoring the monster that laughed in his chest.

**End Chapter 15**

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A/N: Well? How was it? Did you like it? xD Uh-oh, looks like there's going to be even more trouble, now that Erol has an eye out for Kairi! What's going to happen next? Find out next Chapter! Please review and thanks a bunches for reading! C8


	16. Waltz

A/N: Hello guys! Thanks for the awesome reviews! xD Erol and Mima will be pleased when they see the comments of how you want to kill the two. Well, here's Chapter 16! Be prepared for an eventful day! Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 16**

**Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!**

He slammed his palm on the loud alarm clock and grumbled in his pillow. Slowly rising from the small cushion on which he printed his face on, Sora blinked a couple of times, getting a glimpse of the color outside in between the blinds. Not sensing his state of balance, he overturned and fell on the floor, banging his head against the bedside table.

"Ow! Shit that hurt!" he cursed, rubbing the spot where the table had come in contact. A knock on the door came after he struggled to get up.

"Sora, are you alright? This is the third time in a row I've heard something fall," called his mother on the other side of the door.

"I'm fine," he said, pulling out a fresh change of his uniform. Sora pulled off his clothes and threw them sloppily in the navy blue basket where his other used clothes dwelled and slipped on his fresh new ones. Without even making his bed, he walked out of his bedroom and down the stairs, where his mother just finished making toast and eggs. Sora secured his plaid tie and sat down lazily to begin eating toast. He saw no sign of his father, and heard a series of clunks and bangs upstairs. Sora's mother turned off the stove and slid the remaining eggs onto the plate, when she spoke to her son.

"Sora, dear," she said, getting his attention.

"Hmff?" he muffled, peering up from his bread and into his mother's blue eyes.

"How do you feel about being us being gone for a week?" she asked out of the blue.

Sora chewed quickly and swallowed so he can answer. "I don't really care. Why?"

"Well, I won a free vacation to Destiny Islands Resort, and it's a vacation for two only," she informed nervously.

Sora felt glad for his mother. "Well, it's about time you and dad got a vacation! They've been working you like dogs ever since we moved here!"

The mother smiled at his son's comment. "Thank you, Sora. We'll be leaving tonight."

He nodded after finishing the last piece of toast. He began to chug his apple juice when his mother gave another word.

"Oh and, pack your things as well. You're staying at Kairi's while we're gone."

**Ppppppppppppppp!!!**

Sora hacked and coughed after he spat his apple juice all over the kitchen table, luckily missing the freshly made eggs. The mother sighed depressingly; knowing something like this was bound to happen and took a wet rag, wiping the mess of apple juice.

"Hold on, wait a minute! How come I have to stay over there? I can handle myself here!" he cried, wiping his mouth.

"Now now, Sora. We'd feel much better if you had a guardian watching over you," she said plopping the wet rag into the sink and rinsed it.

"I'm not going to throw a party or anything," he said lowly.

"We have already informed Kairi's mother about this, and she'd gladly look over you. After all, you're still in high school," she replied, washing her hands.

He shook his head and let out a deep sigh.

"Now go and get packed already. You'll be late to pick up Kairi," said the mother, gathering his plate and cup and began washing. Sora got up miserably and started for his bedroom. Getting another backpack that was maroon, he stuffed fresh clothes of pajamas and going-out clothes, along with his toothbrush and toothpaste. He heard his parents' room swing open and saw his father hauling luggage.

"Good morning, son!" he greeted warmly.

"Good morning, dad," he replied, zipping his bag up, and hoisting on his free shoulder.

"Time to go, Sora!!!" the mother called from below. He sighed and walked downstairs and out the door after pecking his mother on the cheek and started next door.

"Great, just great! I have to spend a week with her. A WEEK!" he cried.

_Pfft, stop pretending to be all miserable. You know you're enjoying it._

"I am not pretending. It's going to be a living hell being stuck with her."

_Haha, right right. But that's not what your heart is telling you._

Sora felt his heart doing jumping-jacks as he slowly walked up the front and rung the doorbell. Kairi's mother answered as usual with a warm smile.

"Ah, good morning, Sora. That must be your things," she said, looking over at his other backpack.

Sora nodded and handed it to her. "Yeah..."

She gladly took it and called from behind. "Kairi! Sora's here! Hurry and finish up!" Sora heard an "okay!" call back. The mother moved out of the way for her daughter to pass. Kairi had a juice box in hand as she stepped outside and waved good-bye to her mother. Sora prepared for tantrums and fits as the two walked down the street. To his confusion, none came. He looked over at Kairi, who delightedly drank her juice.

"You still drink that stuff?" he asked rudely.

She peered up from her juice box. "Yeah, so what? It's good!"

He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I really hope you're not going to act that way for the rest of the week."

Kairi looked at him, curving an eyebrow. "Rest of the week? What are you talking about?"

Sora did the same. "You mean you haven't heard?"

"Heard what?" she asked, sipping her juice box once again.

"You're such a ditz. I'm guessing your mom hasn't told you that I'm sleeping over for a week."

**Ppppppppppppppp!!!**

"That's exactly what I said," Sora said as Kairi coughed on her juice.

"Wait a minute! Why?" she asked rather loudly.

Sora sighed. "My mom won a vacation for two with my dad, so they're gone for a week. The thing is they don't trust me being home alone, so they told your mom about it."

"She never told me about it," Kairi said, facing forward.

"I know," Sora said. "And my parents are leaving tonight."

Kairi's shoulders sagged as she let out a depressing sigh.

"Oh get over it. As long as we don't try anything stupid on each other, we're good," he snickered.

Kairi glared at him. "Why are you telling ME this?"

"'Cause you're a ditz, and it's not only applying to me," he scoffed.

"Don't call me that, you jerk! I don't start everything, YOU do!" Kairi scowled.

"Don't you dare start pinning this one on me, ditz! You know you start crap too!" he yelled back.

" I do not!" she cried.

"You do too!" he cried.

"Do not!" Kairi yelled, grabbing his cheeks.

"Do too!" Sora cried, doing the same.

"Dwoo nwot!" Kairi managed to yell, through stretched cheeks.

"Dwoo-"

"Sora-poo!" Mima cried, about to pounce on the spiky brown head when she noticed what was happening. "Um, what are you guys doing?"

Sora and Kairi looked at Mima, then at each other, letting go of plump skin. Mima stared in jealousy.

"Jerk..." Kairi muttered.

"Ditz..." Sora grumbled.

"What did you say?!" the two simultaneously bursted. Mima obviously couldn't stand it any longer and rushed in front of Sora.

"How dare you call my Sora-poo a jerk!" she said, grasping on to his arm. Kairi was about to yell back, when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder.

"And how dare your Sora-poo call Kairi a ditz," said the voice form behind. Kairi looked into a familiar face that belonged to none other than Erol. Mima puckered her lips as Kairi forced a smile.

"Oh, hi Erol!" Kairi greeted.

"Good morning, Kairi. On your way to school?" he asked charmingly.

"Pfft, where ELSE would we be going at this time?" Sora rudely inputted.

Erol lifted an eyebrow, but smirked after Kairi had said, "Don't listen to him. He's just grouchy."

Sora rolled his eyes. "Is it alright with you if I walk you to school?" Erol asked politely.

Kairi nodded. "Of course!"

"No way, I'm coming along," Sora said, managing to fold his arms with Mima holding to one of them.

"Me too, I'm not leaving Sora-poo with that witch," Mima said sticking her tongue out.

"Please don't call her a witch, whoever you are," Erol smiled maliciously, having the nerve to wrap his arms around Kairi. Of course, being oblivious as she is, she did nothing but take it as a hug of "friendship". Sora looked like his veins would explode, as Mima didn't take a liking to his jealousy.

"Fine, do whatever you guys want," Sora said angrily, storming off with Mima hanging on to his arm. Kairi sighed and followed behind while Erol walked alongside her. So, now that the walk has doubled, it became more hectic. All of them sticking tongues out at each other, bickering and calling names endlessly while onlookers stared with curiosity. The train ride wasn't any better, for they kept at it until the train car stopped at Sunset Hill. The four walked out and paced to school, ignoring the other pair while trying to maintain focus on the person beside them, well, Kairi did. The four went there separate ways, throwing good-byes and insults at each other before totally leaving. He plopped on to the usual spot, but a new person subsided next to Roxas. His hair was a flame-red color that slicked back like a hedgehog , and his narrow green eyes glowed under the small tattoos under his eyes. Sora noticed he bore the school's uniform also.

"Hey, cousin. This is my buddy, Axel. He's a senior," Roxas said, hitch-hiking to the flame head. The one called Axel grinned widely and lifted a hand.

"Nice to meet you," he said. "I've heard all about you from Roxas."

Sora nodded. "Nice to meet you too. You enroll here now?"

"Yep," Axel said. "Just came all the way from Betwixt and Between. It's kind of hard to get around here though."

Sora lifted an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

Axel sighed. "Because of the girls here. Especially the cute ones. They always stop to talk to me and want to get my number or something like that."

Riku took his turn in the conversation.

"In other words, Sora, he's a womanizer," Riku stated, knowing how dumb Sora can be sometimes.

Axel pouted at Riku. "Hey, I am no womanizer! Commit it to memory."

Roxas rolled his eyes. "You know, you never stop saying that phrase."

"Of course not! It's my catch phrase after all," said Axel triumphantly as the three shook their heads. The bell rang, and the usual students filed into the main building, making their way into second period. The day zoomed past way too quickly, maybe because a certain class-clown-Axel kept interrupting. So much for a first impression I guess. Since Axel had all of the senior classes, he was seen rarely. The final bell rang, and the educated teens hurried through the double-doors and into the open air. Sora casually walked to the waiting tree, when he spotted the entire group in his spot. They seemed to be laughing and talking with papers in their hands.

"What's going on here?" Sora asked, breaking the crowd form their conversation.

"Lookie here!" Tidus said, zooming the packet of paper in Sora's face. The title read "Sleeping Beauty Script".

Sora raised an eyebrow and noticed that all of them had scripts. Every single one, except for Axel, who skimmed through Roxas's packet without his permission.

"And all of the cast names are here too!" Olette said, flipping the first page and pointing to the list of names.

"Oh, here's your script Sora. They came in late since the drama teacher was having issues with the lines and stuff," Wakka said, tossing a packet to Sora. He flipped through and read the cast and characters. It followed in order:

**Major Characters**

**Sleeping Beauty/ Princess Aurora: Kairi**

**Prince Phillip: Sora**

**Maleficent: Mima**

**King Stephen: Roxas**

**Queen: Naminé**

**King Hubert: Riku**

**Flora: Olette**

**Fauna: Selphie**

**Merryweather: Yuna**

"Hm?" Sora hummed. "Where are Tidus, Wakka, and Hayner?"

"Were stage props," Hayner said.

"I'm not complaining. I get stage fright easily," Tidus shivered. Wakka laughed, earning a punch to the arm, when a certain princess came by.

"Hey guys. What's going on here?" Kairi asks, looking over at Sora's script.

"Scripts Kairi!" Selphie exclaimed, roughly waving hers in Kairi's face.

Kairi pouted. "I don't get a script? I'm basically the main character."

"Here is yours," Yuna said, handing her a clean printed packet. Kairi flipped the pages, getting an excited look in her eyes.

"Wow, there's so much in here!" Kairi said, face lighting up.

"Oh yeah, speaking of which, the group wanted to rehearse this for the rest of the week starting tomorrow," Riku pointed. "What do you two say?"

Kairi and Sora looked at each other. "I'm in," they both said.

"Alright! Since tomorrow's a Saturday, we'll meet at the park next to the station! How's that?" Selphie said loudly, making Roxas rubs his ear.

The group nodded and went their separate ways, waving good-bye like they usually do as Sora and Kairi started off for home. Kairi repeatedly scanned through her parts, remembering them just how it was like in the Disney version, when she stopped on a certain page that had a couple of lines and the word "waltz" in bold letters in the middle. She blinked a few times, then looked up to Sora.

"Hey, Sora," she said, breaking him out of his trance.

"Huh?" he said boredly.

"Do you know how to dance?" she asked, curving an eyebrow.

He looked at her like she said something stupid. "Why?"

She peered down at her script again. "It says we do the waltz a couple of times in the play."

Sora lifted an eyebrow while peeking over her script. "Waltz? You mean that dance old people do?"

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Sure, why not. Do you know how to do it?"

Sora shook his head. "Nope. Whenever I'm dragged to my parents' friends' parties, they always do the waltz. It looks boring."

"Well, I don't think so," Kairi pouted. "I think it's a very beautiful dance."

"Wonderful," Sora sarcastically remarked.

"Yes, wonderful. And we're going to practice tonight," Kairi declared, causing Sora to look at her wide-eyed.

"No way! It's not like the play's tomorrow morning!" he said.

"So what? The quicker we learn it, the better we're prepared!" Kairi said. Of course, she'd say something like this. She's a straight A student after all.

Sora dropped his shoulders and sighed in depression. "Fine. Have it your way."

Kairi smiled triumphantly while continuing alongside the sluggish Sora. Surprisingly, Mima hadn't shown up to ruin their moment, to Sora and Kairi's relief. The looming sky had morphed into a beautiful sunset as the train left Sunset Hill and started for the Twilight Districts. The two shuffled out and walked on home while Kairi hummed to the tune called "Once Upon a Dream". Sora had to turn the other way to avoid Kairi's elegant smile in order for him to not get pink in the face again. That was a failure though. The couple reached their houses, when Sora spotted his flashy parents talking with Kairi's mother on the sidewalk. Luggages were packed in the trunk of a taxi that was parked behind his parents. The two rushed up, wanting to know what was going on.

"Oh hi son!" greeted Sora's father. "We'll be on our way now. You be good, alright?"

"Um, okay dad," he said half-heartedly.

"And be sure to kept brushing your teeth everyday, dear," Sora's mother added, making Sora pout and Kairi giggle.

"We thank you again for watching over Sora for us," the father said to Kairi's mother.

"It's no problem at all," the auburn-headed adult smiled. "It's a pleasure to."

The parents smiled at each other and Sora's father stepped inside the taxi, followed by his mother. The doors slammed shut and the windows rolled down for them to see their son one last time before going off to their vacation destination.

"Bye, Sora! See you in a week!" the father bade, waving behind his mother.

"We love you!" she yelled in the distance as the taxi zoomed off. Sora waved slowly with confusion in his face.

"Alright, you two. It's time to get inside," the mother said, ushering them through the doorway and into the cozy environment. She shut the door from behind and jostled up the stairs quickly, while Sora and Kairi looked at each other. The mother jostled again down the stairs in her work uniform and quickly paced out the door.

"I'll be back at midnight! Watch over the house for me, and no horse-playing, alright?" she asked, waving impatiently.

"Okay, mom! Have a good time at work!" Kairi called, before the mother shut the door and locked it form the outside. Sora looked at her with astonishing eyes.

"Geez, everything's happening too fast," he said, rubbing his head. Kairi shook her head and proceeded upstairs as Sora followed. She came to a halt at her door, while looking at the blank door next to hers. She opened it to reveal a plain looking room with Sora's maroon backpack resting on the neat bed.

"Guess this is where you're sleeping," she said, flicking on the light. Sora didn't mind, as long as it possessed a bed and a light. He dragged himself in and quickly shut the door in front of Kairi's face inconsiderably.

"Hey! What gives?!" she yelled banging on the door.

"You wanna watch me change or what?!" Sora yelled on the other side. Kairi blushed a bit and stomped to her room to change as well. Her attire for tonight were pink shorts and a white t-shirt, with socks in her bed slippers. She walked out of her room and went to the guest room, with was temporarily Sora's. Without even considering to knock first, she opened the surprisingly unlocked door and found a shirtless Sora. At least he had black sweat pants on. Sora turned quickly and noticed a blushing Kairi at his doorway.

"H-Hey! What gives?! Can't you knock?!" Sora stuttered, not knowing if he should be embarrassed or not. It's normal for a guy to not have a shirt on in the house sometimes, right? Well, maybe in HIS house.

"Sorry sorry sorry sorry!!!" Kairi stammered, turning around but not leaving her spot. Her face became a bright red cherry that almost compared with her hair.

_Oh my god!!!_

She curled her fingers to her mouth.

_I didn't know Sora had that kind of body!!! Well I did, ever since we went swimming, but it was only in the pool. But still!!!_

She shut her eyes, feeling like a pervert when a flick on the head woke her up. She turned around slowly and let out a sigh of relief that Sora bore a white t-shirt.

"Geez, you're even a ditz at home," he muttered, putting his hands in his pockets.

"I told you to stop calling me that," she pouted. "Well, anyway, let's get to practicing!"

Sora rolled his eyes and turned around for his bed, dropping his whole body on the huge mattress.

"Hey! I said let's practice!" she stomped.

"No," Sora managed to say clearly through his pillow. Kairi bulged her lower lip when she took the initiative and sat herself on Sora's back.

"Get off, your heavy," Sora said, turning his head sideways.

"Nope," she said, grabbing his cheek. "Not until you agree to practice."

"I shaid nwo!" he said as Kairi stretched his cheeks back and forth.

"You agreed this afternoon!" she whined.

Sora sighed and dropped his face into the pillow again.

"Fine," he said, and Kairi let go of his cheeks.

"Well, then, get up!" she said.

"How can I when you're sitting on me?" he irritably said.

"Oh, right, sorry," she apologized, removing herself from his back. He got up slowly and shoved his hands in his pockets once more with bored blue eyes.

"Let's get this over with," he miserably said as Kairi lead the way downstairs. She unlocked a cd case that remained under the television and scanned various cds for the right one. She pulled it out triumphantly and set it on the table, while Sora lay sluggishly on the couch.

"Wait here," she said, and raced up the stairs and into her room. She sped back down with a black stereo and plugged it in to the nearest outlet. She jolted up and plopped the cd inside, allowing it to spin and turned the volume up. Sora heard an orchestral tune and made a disgusted face. Kairi allowed the song to keep playing as she walked over to the lazy brunette, who looked lazily at her.

"Well? Come on!" she urged. He sighed deeply and got up. She took his arm and they faced each other in the middle of the room.

"No what?" Sora asked irritably. Kairi pouted and placed her left hand in his.

"We hold our hands up like this," she said, lifting it to about a shoulder-height of Sora, who was at a level three of blushing.

"N-Now what?" he impatiently stuttered. Kairi then took Sora's right hand and placed it on her back, causing his blushing level to up six.

"Firmly hold me on the back here," she said, pretending to hold a fold of an invisible dress. The song still played, but Kairi still wasn't satisfied with their position.

"That it?" Sora asked sheepishly, trying to make the color in his face go away with a frown. It didn't work, like always.

"No, we're too far apart," she said, edging close to his chest. His level now went out of the roof.

_Holy crap! I'm holding her like THIS, and she's THIS close to me!_

"Okay, now I'm satisfied," she said. "Do you know the steps of a common waltz?"

Sora shook his head.

Kairi lifted an eyebrow. "I thought you said you've watched people do it at your parent's friend's parties."

"Pfft," he blurted. "I didn't really pay any attention to them. I was too busy eating food."

Kairi shook her head in disbelief and decided to do it the hard way.

"Okay, this is how you do it." She began to teach the basic steps of a waltz, like the three count box step, or the three step quarter turns. Sora soon learned various others like hesitations and the proper spinning of a partner. Occasionally he'd mess up and either trip on Kairi's or his own foot. Kairi laughed as he almost fell backward while doing the three step quarter turns. He pouted and returned to position. As soon as Kairi was satisfied in teaching him all that she knew, she went over to the stereo and pressed the skip button. Another tune played, and Kairi quickly regained her position in Sora's arms.

"Okay, for now, just wing it, and try to remember what I taught you," she said, placing her hands in his.

"Yeah yeah," he nodded.

The two began dancing at the first solo of a flute. Their feet synchronized with each other, and it seemed rather elegant. Sora randomly did various steps, and Kairi perfectly followed along. She smiled at his progression and spun at his will to the music. It was fun, yet pleasant. Sora never knew doing a waltz could be entertaining, at least, if Kairi's there. Of course, he denied that thought once it came into his head. The song ended, and the two broke apart as Kairi turned off the stereo.

"Great job!" she congratulated. "You did perfectly."

He ruffled the back of his head in embarrassment. "Whatever. I still don't like doing it," he lied.

Kairi rolled her eyes and unplugged the stereo.

"Come on, it's getting late," she said, lifting the stereo by the handle and proceeding upstairs while Sora followed. She went inside her room and placed the stereo back in its original spot, while Sora proceeded to his room and flung himself on his bed. Kairi walked over to say goodnight, but found him in almost the same position he was in before they had started to practice dancing. She tip-toed closer, as to not making a creak or sound on the floor.

"Boo!" she yelled, causing Sora's shoulders so jolt up. She giggled, but then soon started to edge closer out of the door when Sora rose up like a demon. His eye twitched and Kairi ran out of the door, laughing loudly. Sora chased behind, trying to exert more force than Kairi did on her bedroom door as she desperately tried to close it. He canceled her strength out tackled her on the bed.

"You're going to pay for that, ditz!" he yelled, tugging at her hair.

Kairi stuck out a tongue while stretching his cheeks back and forth. Sora's elbow accidentally bumped in Kairi's side, which caused her to laugh out loud. She covered her mouth, wide-eyed at a grinning Sora.

"Heh, so you're still ticklish," he evilly said, wiggling his fingers threateningly.

"No, wait, Sora! Hold on! I'm sorry!" she pleaded, trying to hold back his wrists, when they heard the sound of a door opening from downstairs.

"I'm home!" cried Kairi's mother. It was that late already?!

Sora and Kairi looked at each other, blushing at the awkward position they found themselves and hurried their bodies into their respective beds. Kairi quickly shut off her lights and pretended to be asleep, just when Kairi's mother opened the door. She saw the hallway light on her floor as it began to shrink until it became one with the darkness. She chuckled a bit, refreshing her memory of the adventures today.

Kairi's mother then checked in Sora's room, whose door was wide open. He pretended to be asleep also, and waited for the door to completely close so he could let out a snicker at today's events.

**End Chapter 16**

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A/N: Well? How was it? Did you like it? xD Now that Sora's even closer to Kairi, you can expect more chaos! Please review and thanks a bunches for reading! C8


	17. Clear Tape

A/N: Hiya guys! xD I really appreciate your awesome reviews! It always inspires me to write more wacky scenes and a lot more fluff! Anyway, here's Chapter 17! Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 17**

Kairi groggily woke up to the sound of her mother knocking on the door. She lifted her head slowly from her pillow, blinking a bit for her blue-violet eyes to focus.

"Kairi! Wake up! Breakfast is downstairs!" the mother cried not too loudly.

Kairi rubbed her eyes and sat up lazily.

"Okay..." she replied sleepily.

"Wake up Sora too! I've got to watch the bacon!" she said. Kairi heard the shuffles of footsteps descend and soon come to a stop.

_Wait... Wake up Sora?_

She stepped outside, still half-awake as she peered over at the bedroom door next to hers, when she finally remembered.

_Oh yeah. His parents are gone for a week..._

Knocking on the door three times, she said," Hey, Sora. Wake up."

No response.

She knocked three times again. "Sora?"

Still no response.

_Geez, this guy's a heavy sleeper..._

Kairi tried jiggling the handle, and opened it slowly. She wanted to laugh out loud at the sight, for Sora was fast asleep, hugging a pillow with the covers resting at his waist. She crept over silently, and knelt by his bedside. She was about to yell "boo!' again, but something made her stop. Kairi remembered that morning after the thunderstorm and how she glanced up at Sora's face while he was sleeping. It looked similar, only this one was more peaceful and relaxed. She edged closer, feeling his breath on her face. Kairi couldn't help but smile, and she folded her arms on the sheets and watched him sleep for a bit. Her ocean eyes were soon glued on to his lips. It was plump, and a bit open. She couldn't help but stare.

_Could I...?_

Without even realizing it, she found herself edging closer and closer. Just when she was about a tiny millimeter from his lips, she jerked back and reconsidered.

_What is wrong with me?! I think I'm still half-asleep..._

"Kairi!" the mother called from downstairs. Kairi quietly rushed outside of Sora's room and answered back.

"Yeah mom?"

"Is Sora awake yet? Breakfast is ready!" she called.

"Yeah! We'll be down in a minute!" she replied back and walked casually to his room. He was still sound asleep, even to the loud clunks Kairi's feet made. She needed to wake him up, now. She grinned widely and jumped heavily on him.

"Huh?! What?! Where's Maleficent?!" Sora stammered, bolting up and looking around nervously when he found weight on his stomach. He looked down at the laughing Kairi with shocked eyes, which soon turned into annoyed ones.

"Good morning!" Kairi happily greeted.

Sora fell backwards onto his pillow. "Five more minutes."

"No way! Wake up! Breakfast is ready!" Kairi said, not getting off of his stomach. Sora sighed and shut his eyes, hoping to miraculously fall back asleep, but that wouldn't be possible, since he felt fingers stretch his face back and forth.

"Wakey wakey!" Kairi taunted, laying right on top of him. He grabbed a hold of her wrists, pulling them away from his face and frowned.

"My cheeks are going to fall off one day if you keep doing that," he said rather monotone.

"Haha, so? It's fun!" Kairi giggled. Sora curved his eyebrows.

"Okay, let's see how you like it," he said, grabbing a hold of her cheeks and began doing the same ritual.

"Ow ow ow! Owkway owkway! I gwet it!" she cried, feeling the pain of having cheeks being torn apart. Sora let go with a victorious smile as Kairi rubbed the sides of her face.

"Well, anyway," Kairi began. "Let's go get breakfast. I'm starving."

"Get off of me first," Sora said bolting upright, causing her to roll on his lap. She pouted as she stood up from the bed and waited for the lazy brunette to follow her. They proceeded downstairs and were greeted by Kairi's mother, along with the delicious aroma of eggs, bacon, sausage, and rice. Sora's stomach gave a loud, hungry grumble, just sniffing the smell. Kairi giggled as Sora concealed his stomach and sat down at the table next to her.

"Good morning you two," the mother greeted warmly.

"Good morning," Sora politely greeted.

"Good morning, mom!" Kairi cheerily greeted.

The mother rinsed the pans in the sink and went over to join the two for breakfast. Kairi and Sora picked out to their liking, making sure to leave some for the generous mother.

"I hope you two weren't bored while I was away yesterday," she said, helping herself to a slice of bacon and rice.

"We weren't," Sora replied.

"I was teaching Sora how to waltz," Kairi added, scooping a spoonful of rice in her mouth.

The mother chewed for a bit, and then asked, "Waltz? For what occasion?"

"For the play Sleeping Beauty," Sora and Kairi simultaneously said. The mother lifted her eyebrows.

"Sleeping Beauty? You two are in a play?" she asked, taking an egg.

Kairi nodded. "Yup! We auditioned for it, and we're rehearsing today with our friends!"

"More like forced to," Sora muttered through his chewed food when Kairi elbowed him.

"Oh, that's wonderful! Kairi, how come you didn't tell me?" she asked.

Kairi scratched her cheek. "Sorry, mom. I guess I forgot..."

The mother shook her head and smiled. "Well, I'm glad for you two. What are your parts?"

"I'm the main character! Sleeping Beauty a.k.a Aurora!" Kairi giddily yelled.

"I'm Prince Phillip," Sora casually replied.

The mother giggled. "That's wonderful! When will the show start?"

"In a month," Kairi responded, taking a sip of her orange juice. "Can you come mom?"

The mother nodded gladly. "Of course. I'll be sure to take that day off."

Kairi smiled and helped herself to another slice of bacon, while Sora chewed silently on his rice. The mother lifted her glass of water to her mouth when she broke the silence.

"So, have you two kissed yet?"

Sora and Kairi looked like they'd throw up their food.

"Huh?!" Kairi gagged. Sora looked at the mother with the same appalled eyes.

The mother giggled. "I hope you two haven't forgotten how Prince Phillip broke Maleficent's spell."

Kairi and Sora blushed and buried themselves into their bowl. How could Kairi forget? She watched the movie over fifteen times! She can understand Sora, since he just sleeps throughout the whole thing, but how could she forget?

"So?" the mother asked, putting her bowl down. "How are you two going to solve this dilemma?"

Kairi lowered her bowl and thought for a moment, when her face lit up.

"I know!" she bursted. "We'll use clear tape!"

Sora looked at her and lifted his eyebrows in confusion.

"Clear tape?" the mother repeated.

"Yeah! That way, we won't have to really come in contact," she triumphantly said. Sora shrugged, assuming it was a good idea, whatever it was.

"Well, if you say so," the mother giggled while getting up and placing her bowl in the sink. The two looked at each other and began to finish the remainder of their meal. The mother wrung the rag in the sink and set it next to the faucet when she turned her gaze to the two.

"Kairi, could you wash the dishes for me? I have to get ready for work," she said, throwing her hands at the sink repeatedly to fling off the water.

"Sure," Kairi nodded, walking over with her bowl.

"I'll help too," Sora considerately suggested, walking over next to Kairi.

The mother smiled," Thank you, you two." She disappeared up the stairs as Kairi began to soak the dishes.

"I soap 'em, you rinse 'em," Kairi bluntly said, letting the water run.

"Whatever," he shrugged. Kairi began with the largest dish, which was the pan the food was cooked on and began to scrub with the foamy sponge. She handed it to Sora who rinsed carefully and placed it on the drying rack next to him.

"So," Sora began, waiting for Kairi to finish soaping the spatula. "How's this clear tape idea of yours going to work?"

She finished and handed it to him while taking up another dish and began to lather.

"Well, it's kind of hard to explain, so I'm going to try," she said, handing him a soaped bowl.

"It better not be some kind of sick joke," he said sternly, even though he wished it was.

"It's not," Kairi pouted. "Okay, it's like this. I know there's this scene where I'm lying there with a rose in my hand, pretending to be asleep. You come in and kneel down to kiss me." Sora blushed lightly at the last part. "So, when you are about to, you hold the clear tape in between your hands like this." Kairi held up her foamed hands like she was holding the sides of an invisible box. "Then you bring your hands around my face, while securing the tape around my lips, and then you kiss it. See? Genius!" she boasted, handing him another soaped bowl.

Sora curved an eyebrow. "You totally lost me."

"Ugh!" Kairi blurted. "You're so clueless sometimes..." You mean all the time.

Sora ignored it with a "hmph!" and began rinsing the tableware. Once the two were finished, they headed upstairs and went into Kairi's room. Sora squinted at the pink walls and girly accessories that lay around her dresser. She pulled out a shelf and nit-picked until she found what she was looking for. Kairi held up a roll of clear tape.

"Here you go," she said, handing it to Sora. He stared at like he was told to eat it, and then looked at her.

"Okay... What in the hell am I supposed to do with this?" he asked, pointing at it.

Kairi was about to explain, yet again, when her mother popped her head in the doorway.

"Sora, Kairi, I'll be going now. I'll be home around five," she informed.

The two nodded and walked her down the stairs, biding her farewell before shutting the front door. The two looked at each other.

"So, do you want to practice, since my mom isn't here?" she asked.

"Practice what?" Sora asked dumbly.

"The kiss! What else?!" Kairi irritably remarked. Sora bloomed into a shade of red.

"Now?!" he asked loudly. Kairi shook her head in disbelief, when they were interrupted by the telephone's alarming ring. She hurried over and picked up the receiver.

"Hello?" she said.

"Kairi!" cried the caller. "It's Olette!"

"Hi Olette!" Kairi greeted, looking back at Sora. "What's up?"

"Today's the day we decided to rehearse! You remember right?"

"Of course!" Kairi nodded. "What time?"

"Well, I called everyone else and they want to get started right away. So, a.s.a.p. I guess?"

"Okay," Kairi laughed. "Me and Sora will be over in a bit."

"Alright, see you later!" Olette bade, and the connection ended. Kairi turned back to Sora.

"Well?" he asked.

"We should hurry up and get ready. The group wants to rehearse right away," said Kairi.

"What?" he whined. "We just got done eating breakfast! Can't we take a little break?"

Kairi shook her head. "Nope, we've got to go."

Sora sighed in defeat as Kairi took his hand and dragged him up the stairs and shoved him into his room. Kairi locked her door and began to peel off her clothes while glancing at the clock, which read '11:33'. She put on a simple outfit, which was a vintage baby t-shirt and plain dark blue jeans. Slapping on a couple of rings and bracelets, she put on her favorite black hat and went outside to find Sora waiting by his room. His attire was simple as well, only bearing a black dress shirt that was unbuttoned and showed his white beater. His pants were plain dark blue with some rips and tears here and there.

"Ready?" she asked, securing her purse over her shoulder.

"Mm," Sora mumbled as a 'yes', and the two proceeded downstairs and slipped on their shoes. After locking the front door, the two stepped into the beautiful atmosphere, where the sun shone brightly and the streets were lively with people. The pair made their way onto the sidewalk and started for the park that was next to the train station. As they turned a corner, the amount of activity they saw was astounding. People were swarming everywhere!

"You've got the tape, right?" Kairi asked, jostling in between people.

"Yeah yeah," Sora lazily said up ahead. It was crazy, there were people here, there, everywhere! Maybe it was the tourist month? Who knows, All Kairi knew was that she was being slowed down and pushed away again.

"Agh! Sora! Wait up!" she said, trying to shove her way between people. Sora peered back and sighed, remembering how this was similar when they first attended Sunset High. He walked over rashly and grabbed a hold of her hand and pulled her towards him.

"There are too many people here," Kairi said, looking around.

"No kidding," Sora agreed, peering around also. "We better get going."

"Ah! Sora, wait!" Kairi said, grabbing a hold of his hand again as she was about to be dragged off. She blushed a little, not knowing how to word her thoughts.

"U-Um, could you, just..." she stuttered, grasping his hand firmly.

Sora already knew what she was implying and faced forward quickly, trying not to show his pink face to her. "Yeah yeah. Just come on."

The two made their way hand-in-hand, trying to get to the park as soon as possible so their hands can let go. Their faces couldn't help give off a pink glow as Kairi took her other hand and curled it around his arm, trying to stay close and not be pulled away. When they finally reached the black iron gates, they spotted the entire group conversing on the swings. The couple made their way through the opening and to the group, who stopped talking and started sneering.

"Well well well, Sleeping Beauty and Prince Charming already getting along?" Hayner snickered, folding his arms.

"What the hell are you talking about, Hayner?" Sora asked, not sure if he should've.

Kairi noticed the girls giggling madly and pointing to something. She looked at where they were pointing at, and she quickly withdrew her hand, not without blushing furiously. Sora did the same, but managed to talk.

"I-I-It's not like that!" he stammered.

The group laughed.

"Sure," Riku slyly agreed. "It's just another coincidence. Am I right?"

"Yes, precisely right," Kairi said.

"Aw! Come on guys! Let's get rehearsing already!" Selphie excitedly urged. And so the group obeyed Selphie's loud command and began rehearsing. Fun could be the only perfect word for their rehearsals. Riku and Selphie worked very well to get the group together and make their parts sound convincing. "No no no, do it again, this time, with... passion," Riku would say whenever someone would recite their part too plainly. "C'mon (insert name here)! Say it loud!" Selphie cried whenever a person was too timid on their part. One particular person always made the group laugh, who was Yuna. Since her character, Merryweather, was such a stubborn and lively character, she had a bit of trouble adjusting to that. But thanks to Tidus's words of encouragement, she managed to make it decent. After the rehearsals lasted a good three hours, the group of friends decided to take a break and scattered throughout the park to relax.

"Finally..." Sora whined, slumping on the healthy grass next to the basketball courts. He relaxed alone, laying on his back and gazed into the sky, hearing the distant sounds of laughter and chit chat of his friends. He peered over at the playground, glancing at Naminé and Roxas on the swings, while Yuna sat on the benches with Tidus and Wakka. Hayner and Olette took a stroll around the baseball field and Selphie and Riku kept bickering about the scripts and lines. He noticed something odd.

_Where's Kairi?_

He shrugged it off and shut his eyes, taking in the deep solitu-

"Sora!"

His blue eyes shot open when a happy-go-lucky Kairi knelt down beside him, hugging her script.

"C'mon, let's practice while we have the chance!" Kairi whispered.

"Why? I thought we were taking a break," Sora said, feeling irritation seep in.

"No, not that! I mean the clear tape!" she pouted, feeling aggravated.

Sora sat up slowly. "Why do we have to do it now?"

"Because their all scattered throughout the park. No one will see us from the spot I picked to practice, and it'll only take less than a minute. Also, my mom will be home around five, and I don't think it'll be a pretty sight if she catches us practicing."

Sora dropped his head. "Fine. But make SURE no one sees us."

Kairi nodded and stood up, followed by a lazy Sora. Her blue eyes scanned for every friend, making sure their attention was on something else. Once she double-checked, she made a quick grab for Sora's hand and made a dash behind the small bathroom building. Sora yawned for a moment, waiting for Kairi to stop checking around for any other watchers. As far as she could see, no one was around. She beckoned Sora over to the small tree on the grass that possessed a stone table as he stretched and scratched his back like an ape. He walked over groggily, sighing deeply.

"Okay, take out the clear tape," Kairi commanded. He roughly did so.

"Alright, I'll lay down, and you'll kneel to kiss me. Remember what I told you," Kairi said, laying on her back on the stiff seat that connected to the table. Sora finally woke up and started to panic.

"Kairi, I already told you this morning. You completely lost me when you explained it," he said, kneeling down beside her.

"Ugh!" Kairi growled, quickly sitting up and grabbing a hold of his hands.

"Look, you hold the tape like THIS," she emphasized, positioning his hands like he was holding the sides of an invisible box.

"Okay..." Sora said, not sure where she's going with this.

"The tape will curl and stay in between the gap of your hands," she said, pointing to the space in between his palms. He nodded, following every word she said.

"And then you make sure the tape is secured over my lips while grabbing my cheeks," she added, making his hands cover her soft ivory cheeks that possessed a little bit of scarlet. Sora felt warmth going into his palms and face.

"And then you kiss. Get it? The audience won't see that you're holding the tape," she said, letting go of his hands.

He thought for a second and nodded. "Whatever you say."

Kairi sighed and shook her head before laying back down in position and folding her arms like she was holding an invisible rose. Sora tore a reasonable amount of tape and curled it in between his palms like Kairi had shown him. Kairi took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Whenever your ready," she said.

**Badump...! Badump...! Badump...! Badump...!**

He heard his loud heartbeat ring in his ear, as he tried to muster the courage to actually put his hands on her cheeks.

_Why am I so nervous?! I'm kissing the tape, not her!_

"Well, here goes," he gulped, softly placing his hands on her warm cheeks, making sure the clear tape was securely covering her entire lips. He edged closer and closer and closer until his lips were only centimeters away. He shut his eyes tight and continued slowly.

**Badump! Badump! Badump! Badump! Badump! Badump!**

He came to the soft surface, holding his breath.

_Hm, this isn't so bad..._

Still clasping her face, he slowly rose up and opened his eyes. His hands lifted, peeling off the tape that protected her lips as she slowly opened her eyes. The two felt hot in the face and turned in opposite directions.

"H-How's that?" Sora asked, crumpling the small piece of tape.

Kairi nodded slowly. "Perfect..."

"What?! That was MORE than perfect!" cried a very very VERY familiar voice.

The two whirled in the direction of the mini bathroom buildings to find the entire group grinning like little devils. Now that they've witnessed a scene of Sleeping Beauty, Kairi and Sora's face were the color of a red red rose.

"N-Now hold on just a minute!" Sora yelled, scrunching his scarlet nose. "We were just PRACTICING! That's all!"

"Yeah right!" Riku laughed out loud. "I'd like to see proof in order to believe that!"

"We were using clear tape!" Kairi yelled. "Show 'em, Sora!"

He quickly rummaged into his pockets and pulled out the roll. The group seemed a bit disappointed that they ACTUALLY had proof this time.

"Fine fine, just get over here so we can finish the rehearsal," Selphie boringly said, beckoning the two with her hand. And so they did so, trumping through the soft grass and to their rightful group. They continued rehearsal for another two hours, making sure they have memorized their parts over and over again until the time read '4:30'. The pair bid farewell to the group and headed home, tired and exhausted from waltzing over five times in a row. Kairi unlocked the door hastily and threw herself onto the nearby sofa, while Sora landed right on her.

"Hey, get off! You're heavy!" Kairi said, pushing his back off of her breasts.

"That's what you get for jumping on me this morning," Sora retorted, resisting Kairi's pushing hands.

"I said I was sorry," she scoffed, scooting from her spot and getting up. "Whatever," she sighed. "I'm going upstairs."

Sora followed silently, going to his room, changing quickly into his sleeping attire and flung himself on the neatly made bed. Feeling the comfort and coolness of the sheets, he laid on his side, deciding to take a nap for now, when his door creaked open. He slowly opened his eyes, seeing a blurry vision of Kairi in her pajamas standing in the doorway. He turned over, having his back face her.

"What?" he inconsiderably asked.

"I'm bored," Kairi stated.

"Yeah, so? Do something to entertain yourself," he said, shifting his position a bit.

"What's there to do when you're all tired out?" she asked lifting her shoulders, even though he couldn't see.

"Go sleep if you're tired then!" he irritably said, popping a vein.

Kairi lifted an eyebrow and shrugged. "Okay," she plainly said, and dropped herself next to Sora on his bed. He turned his drowsy head, not believing she's actually laying next to him. She faced him, eyes closed and mouth covered by her curled hands.

"Hey, ditz! Not on my bed! On your own!" he yelled.

She opened her beautiful blue eyes and put on the puppy-dog expression, along with that unbearable frown.

"I just got in a comfortable spot, though," she softly said, puckering her lips like a baby.

He stared like he was in a trance.

_Damn it!_

He whirled around, facing his wall instead of Kairi and cursed himself in his mind for being a sap to her cuteness.

"Fine, have it your way. But if your mom flips, I'm blaming it on you," he said, shutting his eyes. At first, he expected a Kairi-reply, but it never came. He turned his head and saw Kairi sleeping soundly. He shifted his position to face her and sighed, shutting his eyes and blanking out his mind.

"Why? Why does she have to be so, so..." he mumbled lowly.

_So..?_

"Cute...?"

**End Chapter 17**

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A/N: Well? How was it? Did you like it? xD Sora's such a sap for Kairi's cuteness... Well, anyway, please review! I'll have Chapter 18 up soon! Thanks a bunches for reading! C8


	18. The Sky and Ocean

A/N: Hi guys! Sorry for the laggy update! I'm trying my best to juggle school, DeviantArt, and this, so it's a bit of a pain! Well anyway, here's Chapter 18!

Oh yeah, and a **quick side-note**: If you would like to know what Sora and Kairi's names mean, check my note at the bottom of the chapter!

Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 18**

Sora's eyes slowly opened, taking in the dark room he was soon familiar with. He lifted his thorny brown head slowly from the feathered pillow, yawning and feeling a slight pain in his head. Trying to adjust to the dark shades of grey that filled his space, he noticed a small fraction of light seeping through the bottom of his door crease. Sora scooted his way to the bed edge and walked among the cold surface of the wood, opening the door slowly as to not disturb anyone. His sleepy gaze traced the gradient of light all they way up to the door that bore the sign "Kairi's Room". He blinked a couple of times, making sure the sign didn't say anything else and begun knocking three times softly. The door creaked silently, hiding half of Kairi's face, awake and well.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" she whispered.

He squinted from the amount of light that bursted through the opening of Kairi's door and into his ocean eyes.

"No, not really," he said, rubbing his sagged eyes.

Kairi smiled. "Here, come in."

She moved along with the door, allowing him permission to enter the bright pink room.

"I think I'm blind," he said, standing in the middle, blinking a few times. Kairi slugged him lightly on the shoulder.

"Hey, I like pink. Deal with it," she retorted, heading over to her open window. Sora turned in her direction, noticing the beautiful scatter of stars across the dark violet plane. His semi-blurry vision focused on her alarm clock, which read '2:31'.

_I sleep too much..._

He scratched his brown scalp, stretching his free hand and abdominal area, when his weary gaze turned to a Kairi that looked like she was climbing out of the window. His eyes grew wide and rushed over.

"Kairi! What are you doing?!" Sora yelled, feeling the drowsiness drain quickly.

"Shhh!" Kairi gestured, bending down with her index finger against her pink lips. "I do this all the time."

He watched in utter confusion as her foot disappeared above the top sill. He shook his head and poked it out of the window, immediately facing upwards where Kairi could be seen, walking on all fours on the roof.

_What is WITH this girl?_

He soon followed, carefully balancing his weight while trying to not stir, even a little. Once he made it up on the sand paper-like roof, he steadily started towards the sitting Kairi, who gazed up at the stars.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked quietly, now that they were in a wide-open area.

Kairi's gaze didn't budge. "Star-gazing."

He cautiously plopped down beside her, curving his eyebrows. "Can I ask why?"

She curled her arms around her bare legs, never letting her glimmering eyes leave the sky. "I do it as a hobby sometimes, or when I can't sleep," she said softly. "It helps me relax and clear my mind."

Sora looked up, examining every glowing dot that speckled the sky. "What's so special about stars?"

Kairi expected this. "Have you even went star-gazing before?"

"Psh, no," Sora spat. "I have a life, you know."

Kairi ignored, resting her chin upon ivory arms, still never looking away from space. "Well, it's more like I'm fascinated with the sky rather than the stars."

Sora tilted his head, making his brown locks sway a bit. "Okay, why's that?"

Kairi straightened out her legs, placing her petite hands upon her thighs. "Think about it, Sora. The sky is vast, far, and never-ending. It changes with each second that passes by. It enhances the beautiful sun by day, letting the clouds relax from being stormy. It enriches the glimmering moon by night, allowing stars to shine as brightly as they can. The sky is a wondrous thing, supporting all of these elements that are apart of our daily life. Sometimes I even think the sky can act like a human. When it's sunny, it's happy. When it's cloudy, it's gloomy. When it's raining, it's crying. When it's thundering, it's angry. When it's windy, it's busy. I've never been so interested in something like the sky before..."

Sora felt that familiar twinge bloom into his chest as she said her thoughts about they wide violet plane they stared at. His eyes strained, seeing her smile so calmly at the twinkling stars and began to look deep in the sky. Kairi looked down at her feet that lay before her and turned her head to Sora.

"What about you, Sora?" she asked.

He whirled around at the sound of her voice. "What about me?"

"Is there a specific thing that you like?" responded Kairi.

It took him a moment to think, when his gaze stretched forward, onto the distant glimmering waters of the beach miles away. "Well, I like ocean," he said.

"What do you like about it?"

His legs contracted, laying his elbows on his knee-caps. "Well, the ocean it flexible and spontaneous. Its waves show that it's energetic and lively. When its surface is almost smooth, it's calm and peaceful. If a storm comes, it either is scared, or is angry like the sky, depending on its waves. Water may not be never-ending, but it holds a deep meaning, and also, a sense of realization and awakening at the same time. So, I guess you can say that the ocean acts like a human too."

Sora's words sunk in Kairi's head, not knowing how he felt about certain things. Sora turned to her, expecting a response when he saw a warm smile on her lips and turned away.

"What?" he asked offensively.

"Nothing. It's just that, you were never open with me before," she contently said, facing the forward.

Sora felt a bit of guilt slowly crushing his heart. "Well, I just don't want to sound like a sap around people..."

Kairi giggled. "I don't think you sound like one."

"Pfft," blurted Sora. "Yeah right. I know you're secretly making fun of me in that red-head of yours."

"No I'm not," Kairi laughed. "I'm really glad I get to see this side of you again."

His brows furrowed.

_Again?_

"What do you mean by 'again'?" Sora quoted.

Kairi shook her head. "It's nothing."

Sora sighed and looked back into the ocean's distant waters. As far as his eyes could read, a faint tint of red was looming in the sky. He took it as a sign that the sun was coming up.

"Um, I think we should be getting back inside now," Sora said, squinting his eyes, making sure he wasn't hallucinating. Kairi noticed too and nodded.

"Yeah, let's get back in our rooms before mom wakes up."

She seemed a bit depressed as she got up and made her way to the edge of the roof, kneeling down through her window. Sora followed silently, with the help of Kairi. She slid her window shut and ushered Sora out.

"I'll see you after my mom wakes up," she bade.

"Yeah," he said in a melancholy voice. As he entered his gloomy room, the light that faintly illuminated from behind suddenly blinked off. Sora shut his door quietly, trapping himself within the black room and crawled into bed, waiting for the sun and Kairi's mother to awaken to see her again.

**Knock! Knock! Knock!**

"Huh?! Wha?!" Sora snorted, waking up from his unconscious sleep. He blinked a couple of times, peering over at his alarm clock that read '6:00'.

"Sora?" Kairi called from the other side. "Wake up! Breakfast is ready!"

Rubbing his eyes gently, he scooted out of bed and opened his door. Kairi stood at his door way, curving her brows.

"Geez, you sleep too much," she giggled as he scratched his head.

"Shut up. There was nothing to do for four and a half hours but to sleep," he sloppily retorted.

"Whatever you say," she said, turning for the stairs.

Sora followed behind. "So I take it you didn't sleep at all?"

Kairi didn't answer, only to lightly step down the stairs and follow the aroma of her mother's delicacy. Sora wanted to say something, when they entered the kitchen and found Kairi's mother already rinsing the pans.

"Good morning Sora, Kairi," she nodded.

"Good morning," the two said, as Sora took a seat while Kairi pecked her mother on the cheek and followed.

"Today," the mother began. "There are sales going on for the upcoming festival. Are you two going to go?"

Kairi looked at Sora while having another helping of fried egg. Sora looked at her also while chewing on a piece of sausage.

"Well, we don't know yet. Are you going to go, mom?" Kairi asked.

The mother tilted her head. "No, I'll be using my old festival kimono."

"Then I'll just use my old one too," said Kairi. The mother shook her head.

"Oh no, Kairi. Not that old thing. You've used it for four years! How about something new?"

"But I don't have any munny."

Sora just watched as the two conversed.

"Well then, here's some. Go and purchase one," she said, taking her nearby purse and rummaged through for munny.

"But mom! Kimonos cost a lot of munny!" Kairi said.

"That's alright. I don't mind," said the calm mother, placing it next to her daughter. "As long as it's for you, I don't mind at all."

Kairi wanted to bear-hug her mother, but only gave a warming smile and took the pile with guilt. "Thank you, mom. I owe you."

The mother chuckled. "Now now Kairi. Don't talk like that."

Sora looked like he wanted to cry from Kairi's mother's comforting words. Well, at least with the bowl buried in his face.

"Alright you two. Go and get ready for school," said the mother, starting for the sink. The two nodded and finished their last pieces of eggs. They paced up the stairs and changed quickly. Once they were fit into their school uniform, Kairi pecked her mother good-bye while Sora gave a considerable wave. The door shut and the pair went on their way to school, dreading another boring and uneventful day.

"Man, I really don't want to deal with Algebra today..." Sora sighed, slumping his shoulders.

"Are you having trouble again?" Kairi asked.

"Gee, how'd you know?" he sarcastically said.

"Lucky guess," she replied, ignoring his tone.

"Sora-poo!"

Sora fell backwards as Mima toppled over, tightly hugging his neck.

"U-Um, hi Mima," he staggered, trying to get up.

Kairi sighed and shook her head when she felt a slight tap on her shoulder.

"Good morning, Kairi," greeted Erol.

"Good morning, Erol," Kairi smiled.

Sora pouted as he stood up with Mima clinging on his arm.

"Good morning, Sora," Erol sneered.

"Whatever," he harshly replied.

"Good morning, Mima," Erol greeted boredly. She only stuck out a tongue at him. Kairi couldn't believe how unbelievably rude the two were.

"Can I walk you to school, Kairi? If not, it's okay with me," he suggested charmingly.

Kairi nodded," Sure Erol. You don't have to ask every time."

"Whatever. I'm going," Sora stormed, continuing on to the train station with Mima following. As soon as the two disappeared behind the corner, Erol took his chance to ask.

"So, Kairi," he began, slowly walking alongside her.

"Hm?" Kairi hummed.

"Are you going to the festival next week?" asked Erol.

"Yup!" Kairi nodded happily. "Are you?"

He nodded also. "Yeah! I was just wondering if you were going with anybody."

"Yeah! Sora and I are going together!" she said with a happy tone.

Erol felt a stab in his chest, but covered it up quickly. "That's great! I'll see you there then?"

Kairi nodded happily, and then asked," Who are you going with, Erol?"

He made a last-minute decision and blurted," Mima."

Her eye brows lifted. "Really? I thought you two didn't get along all that well."

Erol shook his head. "Oh no no no, Kairi. It's actually the other way around. We're great friends now!"

Kairi took a moment to register his words in her brain and decided to reply with a "That's great!" comment. Why should she be concerned anyway? It's none of her business. The two walked into the train and sped towards Sunset Hill, after Kairi took a good thirty minutes imagining Erol and Mima as friends when she suddenly gets another kind of picture of the two in her head.

"So, Erol," she began, as they walked up the stone pathway leading to the school.

"Hm?" he hummed, turning all of his attention on her.

"Is there something going on between you and Mima?" Kairi grinned.

"Huh?!" Erol yelled. "Kairi, what're you talking about? We're just friends!"

Kairi giggled, "Okay okay. I was just wondering."

Erol sagged his eyebrows in worry as the two walked through the iron gates, going their separate ways after saying good-bye. Before Kairi had even taken a step in the direction Naminé was supposedly waiting for her, she heard her name being called. She looked in the direction of Sora's usual-morning-hang-out spot and walked up to them with a healthy smile.

"Good morning, Kairi," Naminé warmly greeted.

"Good morning, Naminé. I thought you'd be waiting over at the-" Kairi stopped when she spotted her best friend's hand interlocked with none other than Sora's cousin, Roxas. She gave a slick smile to Naminé, who started giggling.

"Well, you two are getting along rather well," she snickered.

"Yup! And I'm glad we are," Roxas cheered, tightening his grip on his girlfriend's hand.

"Awwww, Roxie's all grown up," Axel teased, ruffling his blonde spikes.

"I need a girl," Riku sighed, staring at the two.

"Then go get one. You're basically popular with every girl on campus. For what reason? I have no clue," Sora said, earning a slap upside the head.

"Not Larxene though," Axel pointed upwards. "I've got my sights set on her."

Riku smirked. "Then maybe I'll go get her number or something."

Axel looked as if fire sprouted out of his mouth. "No way, man! I told you, she's mine! And besides, she's a senior."

Riku simply shrugged." Yeah, so? I'm popular with senior babes too."

Sora and the rest sighed at the bickering two when a familiar couple walked up and broke the fight.

"Good morning, everyone," Olette greeted.

The rest greeted in their own way, when Sora spots something peculiar about Olette and Hayner. Their hands were interlocked also.

"Don't any of you say a word," Hayner stammered, blushing furiously.

"Well, it's a about time you two got together," Riku blurted.

Olette merely giggled as Hayner tried to turn away without letting go of her hand.

"Well, anyway, the rest of the group was wondering if you guys wanted to go shopping for the upcoming festival."

What a coincidence...

"Sure!" Kairi agreed immediately.

"Why not," Sora casually added.

"I already have a kimono, but I'll go anyways," Naminé said.

"I really need one. My old one is too small," Roxas said.

Riku just shrugged as an agreement.

"Meet us directly after school. We'll be waiting for everyone," Hayner informed.

Everyone agreed as the signal went off for the students to go to class. School had never been so boring, in anyone's life. Polynomials weren't sinking into their minds as successfully as the teacher's had hoped, and the keyblade war just wasn't cutting it either. The time tip-toed around the corner until the final bell rang, causing a flood of students to pour out of the main building. Sora made his way through the rude pushers and onto the front, where a Kairi-less group waited.

"How in the heck do all of you get here so fast?" Sora asked, peering at each known face.

"We all have classes near each other," Tidus replied, crossing his arms.

"And it's near the front too," Selphie squeaked.

Sora noticed a certain flame-head absent from the group.

"And where's Axel?" he asked.

"Flirting with Larxene. Apparently, he got to her before I could," Riku boredly said, causing laughter.

"Hey guys, sorry I took a bit," Kairi said, arriving beside Sora. "So, are we going?"

"Yep! Just expect the train to be super-crowded!" Wakka said with enthusiasm. The group that consisted of a baby blue and white color scheme trumped across the sidewalk, making their way to the train station. The train ride was bumpy and over-crowded, since the group added more discomfort. Especially Tidus, who kept flicking Wakka's ear constantly. Once the car slowed to a stop on the Twilight platform, the group bursted out, along with a ship-full of people. Once they turned a corner, the surprisingly busy Shopping District came into sight.

"Okay, here's the plan," Selphie announced, facing everyone. "Girls and guys separate, so it'll be easier."

Hayner looked like he'd die when Olette let go of his hand. Roxas and Naminé merely smiled at each other as Naminé went over by Kairi. Yuna and Wakka giggled at the whine Tidus made.

"Oh suck it up boys. You'll see them in an hour or two," Selphie pouted.

"Alright, let's get this over with..." Riku miserably said, signaling the sexes to divide into groups and go their separate ways.

**End Chapter 18**

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A/N: **Sora:** Sky **Kairi:** Water

So? How was it? Did you like it? I know I know, a bit short and not a lot happened, but it'll get better. I promise! Chapter 19 will be on its way shortly! Please review and thanks for reading! C8


	19. You'll Never Change

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry about the really late update! Here's Chapter 19 for you!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 19**

Kairi and the girls walked along the concrete, occasionally getting stares and smirks from juniors. And who do you think is enjoying it out of everyone?

"Oooo!" Selphie squeaked. "That guy totally checked me out!"

Olette rolled her eyes as Yuna giggled.

"C'mon, Selph. Weren't you head-over-heels with Irvine?" Olette pitifully asked.

"Pfft! That idiot? No way! I'm totally over him!" Selphie snapped, stealing glances at every charming boy she could handle.

The feminine group passed along, MOST of them ignoring calls and comments from other guys as they made their way into a Japanese traditional store. The shop consisted of ever possible oriental items you could find. From fans and chopsticks, to rare vases and bamboo trees. The girls scattered around the tiny shop, adoring everything in their sight, when a call woke them up.

"Hey, girls! Over here!" Yuna waved from the back. They all united under a tent of parasols, and noticed the variety of luscious kimonos mounted on the wall.

"Wow! They're so colorful!" Olette said with gleaming eyes.

"And silky!" Kairi added, scanning the multiple colored clothing.

"C'mon, let's try some on!" Naminé suggested gleefully. The rest answered with a nod and called the shop owner for assistance. They decided they would go one-by-one, so the girls can give a better opinion. First up, was Selphie. She pranced into the thick wood dressing room and pulled on her chosen kimono hastily as the rest of the friends waited outside. She finally stepped out, smiling was wide as she can while showing off her golden kimono with red blossoms and a red sash. The girls gasped and stared with adoring eyes.

"Oh! That's a pretty one, Selphie!" Naminé complimented, adoring the girl's figure in the kimono.

Selphie smiled widely. "I'm getting this one for sure!"

She sped back in and changed back into her uniform while holding the folded cloth of gold and the red sash in her arm. Next up was Olette. She picked an orange one with lime green fish and blossoms designed on her green sash. Once she stepped out timidly, the girls twittered and squealed.

"It's gorgeous!" Kairi said, admiring Olette's cute stance.

"I'm sure Hayner would like it!" Yuna added, making a bit of pink bloom in Olette's cheeks. After she had gone back in and changed into her uniform, Yuna followed. She stepped out rather quickly with a florescent white kimono with sakuras designed on it and a rich blue sash.

"And I'm sure Tidus would like that too!" Olette giggled.

"Oh, I hope so," Yuna chuckled, taking a glance at herself. The girls nodded as a response before she went back in and changed back into her uniform. Naminé followed shortly and began to change. She stepped out nervously, not knowing if this was the right kimono she picked. It was an elegant white kimono with a silky white sash. Gold designs could be seen as it shimmered in the light.

"Is this one too plain?" she asked, glancing down at her clothes.

"Of course not!" Selphie answered.

"Yeah!" Kairi agreed. "You look just like an angel! You should get it!"

Naminé bulged her lips. "But I already have one."

"So? This one really looks beautiful on you!" Kairi

"And Roxas will love it for sure," Olette pointed. Naminé smiled warmly and retreated in to change back into the school uniform. And last but not least, it was Kairi's turn. She stepped inside the bright yellow room with her hand-chosen kimono around her arm. She changed slowly, making sure everything was as it should be. After tightening the sash strings, she stepped out and bore the squeals and gasps the girls gave.

"Kairi! It's perfect!" Yuna said, staring at her purple sash that shimmered in the light.

"Pink always looks good on you!" Olette added, letting her eyes scan the top of Kairi's head down her rich pink kimono that bore colorful wild flowers.

"Yeah! And it's way better than your old one," Naminé also added, smiling.

Kairi pouted. "Hey, I liked that one."

Naminé laughed," I know you did. Now hurry up and get changed. Yuna wants to eat!"

Kairi turned around and shut the dressing door, but not before rolling her eyes.

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The boys walked aimlessly down the path, avoiding strangers and tourists that came their way.

"Where the heck is this stupid store?" Tidus asked frustratingly.

"Just be patient. We're almost there," Riku said calmly.

"How do you know where all of these stores are?" Wakka asked. "Guys don't go shopping unless it's for shoes or something."

"And last time I checked, only the GIRLS know where all of these stores are located, especially in a shopping district," Sora added.

"Oh shut your pie holes, I was exploring the town one day and found myself here," replied Riku, ignoring the urge to smack both of them.

The five walked on, bearing Riku's leadership as the store "supposedly" got closer. Riku's feet stopped after about a good two minutes of walking, landing right in front of a Japanese clothing store. The boys filed in, glancing at the t-shirts and traditional hakamas, pondering the prices of each item. A friendly-looking old man smile and greeted them as they stepped in.

"Are you boys looking for something in particular?" asked the old man.

"We're looking for kimonos," answered Riku, who took a quick glance at the accessories in the glass counter.

The kind old owner nodded and made his way to the front of the counter. "We have them in the back. Follow me."

Riku called the other boys and followed after the owner. The old man stopped in front of a wall of kimonos, all in different sizes and pastel like colors.

"Wow, that's a lot," Sora commented scanning the colorful wall.

The old man turned to the group of males with a warm smile. "Pick anyone you'd like."

And so they did, each a different style and taste from the rest. They did a quick try-on and was assisted by the old shop owner. Now that the fitting was done, the boys filed in line to pay for their expensive clothing. They stepped out, sighing in relief that business was done.

"Well, now that that's over, let's eat! I'm starving!" Tidus cheered with the bag over his arm.

"I agree. I haven't eaten anything this morning," Hayner said, rubbing his stomach.

"Um, you guys go on ahead. I'll meet you up later," Sora said, turning another direction.

"Okay, we'll be at the food court," Roxas said, waving to his cousin. Sora nodded and went on his way to his unknown destination. His sky-like eyes scanned each store, as if trying to find something in particular, when he found it at an accessory store for women. He stepped in, recognizing the same cashier assistant. He turned in the direction of a familiar pink, heart-shaped necklace and peered over it. It glimmered gently against the mini light shone upon it. Sora thought for a moment, and read the price "13,000 munny". He peered over at the cashier. She looked over and smiled," Would you like to purchase that necklace? ". He nodded and turned his focus back on the jewelry. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a number of gold specs and counted each one until it reached 13,000 munny.

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The boys sat at a table near the tall windows, peering outside as they chewed on their food.

"I'll never understand the mind of a girl," Tidus said, looking at a young woman with at least four bags on each arm.

"I don't think I will either," Wakka agreed, taking a bite of his spaghetti.

"And I don't think we'll ever understand the mind of men," came a voice from behind. The boys whirled around to find their female friends smirking at them maliciously.

"And here I thought we'd get along with each other," Selphie said, placing her hands on her hips.

"Well, it's true!" Tidus snorted. "I don't see why girls have to buy a lot of stuff."

"Well," Yuna softly said while taking a seat next to him. "Maybe those are the things we need."

Hayner curved a brow. "Why would you need four bags of useless accessories and stuff?"

The rest of the girls pulled up chairs and continued on with the conversation.

"Because we want to look good," Selphie answered, placing her elbows on a free spot of the table.

"With all of that stuff?" Roxas asked, scratching his chin.

Naminé nodded as she took a piece of broccoli from Roxas's plate. "It's an important thing for girls."

"And besides, thank those accessories we actually have a fashion sense," Kairi added. The girls chuckled a bit, when Kairi noticed something, or rather _someone_ was missing.

"Hey, where's Sora?" she asked, checking the fast-food stores.

"He went somewhere else and said he'll be back," Riku said, sipping his drink loudly.

"You don't know where he went?" she asked again.

"Geez Kairi, chill! He'll come back sooner or later," Selphie said, grinning widely.

Kairi pouted. "Don't smile like that Selphie."

As expected, she didn't listen, only to grin even wider. Kairi sighed and rolled her eyes simultaneously when something lightly struck her head. She turned to find her male brunette staring boredly at her with blue eyes.

"Where have you been?" Kairi asked offensively, rubbing the sore spot on her head.

"None of your beeswax," he replied, dropping his shopping bag next to Kairi's chair. He pulled up a chair and laid back, taking a deep breath when he felt the grumble of his stomach. He concealed it embarrassingly and blushed a bit as the group laughed at his monstrous belly. He reached into his pocket, feeling for any more pieces of munny.

_Crap, I spent it all on the necklace..._

He peered sadly at the tiny accessory bag in his larger kimono bag and sighed depressingly.

"No munny?" Hayner asked, finishing his last chicken piece.

"Nope," he miserably answered. Kairi shook her head pitifully and stood up.

"C'mon, I'll get you something," she offered, taking her purse along.

"Don't even worry about it. I'll eat when I get home," he denied, but was about to reconsider when his tummy gave an angry growl.

"Well that's not what your stomach wants, so come on," she replied, crossing her arms. The group chuckled and snickered as Sora got up in defeat and followed after her. He shoved his hands in his pockets and kept a scowl on his face.

"What do you want to eat?" Kairi asked, turning to him.

"Pfft, I don't care," he answered, turning the other way.

"Well, I'm getting you Chinese food, since you won't answer me," she said, heading over to the far end of the food court. He stood there with his dragged expression, kind of amazed in the inside that she knew exactly what he liked. He'd be even more surprised if she knew what his favorite specific foods were. He sighed and was about to continue, when he felt the presence of eyes staring at him. He turned in the direction and found a group of girls that looked about Kairi's age sitting near the black hand rails turning their heads away like they didn't even notice him. Sora tilted his head, wondering what they were staring at, when he noticed giggling spurring from their mouths. One of the girls quit the act and beckoned him over with a polished finger. He looked around, making sure they weren't coming in contact with him and pointed to himself for final confirmation. They girls chuckled and nodded in approval. He went over confusedly, shoving his hand back in his pocket as he looked down over the handrail and to the pack of girls.

"I couldn't help but notice you five were staring," he said lifting an eyebrow.

"Really now?" said one of them, who looked at him infatuating.

He caught on and only kept a frown, but a content looking face. "Yeah, really. Is there something you guys want?"

The females giggled again.

_Girls giggle too much..._

"Well, it's not what we want. It's what SHE wants," said the girl, pointing to one of her companions who tried to look sweet.

"Okay, what is it?" he asked, focusing all of his attention on her.

This girl's eyes grew wide enough to be pools of water and puckered her glossy lips. "How old are you?"

"Sixteen," he replied.

"Oh, really? Me too! What school do you go to?" she asked again.

He was quickly getting bored, as this felt like a job interview. "Sunset High."

They all gasped, with a joyful expression plastered on their face. "You mean THE Sunset High? Where all the cute boys roam?"

Sora looked like he'd throw up. "Um, I guess?"

"So," continued the girl, pointing to her interested companion. "How about getting to know this girl?"

He looked as if he'd been put on the spot. He thought of something to say, when a voice interrupted.

"Sora!"

He turned his head to his auburn headed savior and felt relieved that he didn't have to answer that question.

"Who's that?" the young woman asked.

He watched as Kairi walked over in the distance, holding a tray with his food and drink.

"My girlfriend," he answered at the last minute. "Sorry, I'm already taken."

He left the disappointed females and walked over to Kairi, taking the tray from her.

"Who were those girls you were talking to?" she asked interestingly as the two made their way back to the group's table.

"I dunno," he muffled through chewed beef with broccoli.

She curved her brows. "Then why were you talking to them?"

The taste of fried rice swarmed in his mouth. "They called me over."

Kairi jerked back a bit. "For what?"

"I dunno," he said, ignoring the stares from the same group of girls. "They wanted me to get with this girl at their table."

Her eyes grew wide. "Are you serious?"

"No Kairi. I'm joking, that's why I was over there," he sarcastically remarked. She pouted and took a quick glance behind her back where the female table dwelled and found them staring back at her. They gave a nasty look, but Kairi rolled her eyes and shook her head, not wanting to deal with it right now. They reached their chit-chatty friends and took their respective seats.

"Who were the chicks?" Riku asked, snickering at his best friend.

Sora ate savagely, but tried his best to say something through a mouthful of Chinese food.

"Juff a vunff of gvirfls (Just a bunch of girls)."

"Right right, from what I saw, they were kind of interested," Wakka sneered.

Kairi sighed in annoyance as she watched his friend scarf down the food.

"They were," Sora said after gulping down his fried rice. "They wanted me to get with their friend I don't even know at their table."

"Really," Yuna said, a bit wide-eyed. "And what did you say?"

He sipped his drink quickly to answer the question. "I didn't say anything, since Kairi called."

"And you just up and left?" Olette asked also.

Sora nodded, putting his drink down.

Roxas tilted his head. "But I saw you having the last word, or am I wrong?"

Sora shifted a bit, remembering his last comment to the group of the opposite sex.

Kairi folded her arms, eyeing him like a hawk. "Sora, what's going on?"

He looked over in panic. "I-It's nothing, seriously!"

"If it's nothing, then why are you having trouble saying it?" Tidus asked slyly.

"Look, let's just drop it," he suggested, crossing his arms.

Of course, they wouldn't stop until they knew.

"C'mon Sora, tell us!" Selphie begged.

"Yeah! We're your friends!" Hayner added.

Sora popped a vein, bearing the poking at his arms and cheeks when he finally looked like he'd blow. "Fine! Fine! I'll tell you if you stop bugging me."

"Geez Sora, that was our intention in the first place," Riku laughed, getting a glare form his best friend.

Sora crossed his arms and prepared for the gasps and wails.

"They asked me if I wanted to get that girl over there," he began.

"Uh-huh..." the group said in unison.

"I didn't have time to answer 'cause Kairi was calling."

"Yeah...?"

"They asked who she was..."

"Okay...?"

He took in a deep breath, ready for the chaos.

"I told them she was my-my," he stuttered. Kairi looked at him as if he was injured or something. The group sat on the edge of their seats, grasping the arm rests.

"Girlfriend," he answered miserably.

It was silent for a moment.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!" the girls squealed oh so loudly, making Kairi's ear bleed.

"Dude, way to go!" Riku congratulated, giving him the thumbs-up sign.

"Yeah, man! I knew you guys had something going on," Tidus sneered, elbowing the red-faced Sora.

"How many TIMES do I have to keep telling you guys!" he screeched over the girls' squealing. "We aren't together! I just used Kairi as a scope-goat!"

"So THAT'S it," Kairi angrily yelled, jolting up form her seat. "I'm just a scope-goat now!"

Sora curved his brows in confusion. "What are you so mad about?"

She felt like she'd spontaneously combust, as she stormed out of the food court and into the open shopping area. Kairi stomped in the direction of the nearby exit and proceeded home.

Meanwhile in the food court, Sora stood there, dumbfounded at what just happened.

"Smooth move, idiot," Riku said, getting up slowly.

He ignored his comment while taking his shopping bag and ran out of the food court.

"Sorry guys, I'll see you later!" he bade after bolting out the door. He stopped in the middle of the area, peering here and there, trying to find a hint of auburn hair and Sunset High's uniform. No trace came into his sight, and he started to panic.

_Damn it! Me and my big mouth!_

He plopped out his cell phone and dialed Kairi's number. He waited a moment, but was only greeted to the sound of her voicemail. He shut his phone and hastily shoved it back into his pocket.

_Where the hell did she go? Okay, if I was Kairi, what would I do in something like this?_

He thought for a moment, when his thinking bulb flicked on and he hit himself on the head.

_Duh! She'd probably go home!_

He sped towards the train station, hoping he'd run into her sooner or later. Only the sight of unfamiliar people swarmed his vision as he stopped in front of the nearby playground. As he whirled his head in different directions, a hint of blue caught his eye, and he turned to the swings in the playground. To his relief, there was Kairi, safe and sound but angry and depressed. Without thinking, he swung open the gated entrance and paced towards her.

"Kairi!" he called. Sora saw her blue eyes peer up.

"Leave me alone," she replied angrily.

"No way. If something happened to you, I'd get in trouble," he rejected, stopping right in front of her. Of course, that was a bad move too.

"That's just like you," Kairi said, standing up from the swings with a pained expression on her face. "You only care about yourself."

She avoided him and walked out of the sand area when a hand held her firmly in the spot.

"Look Kairi, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean it like that," Sora apologized the best he could without getting pink in the face.

She stood there, having her back face him. "It doesn't matter if you're sorry or not. You'll never change."

Sora felt a stab in his chest as Kairi walked on, lightly jerking her hand out of his. The seemingly cold air brushed against his stiff body, trying to make Sora come back to reality. Kairi's words rang endlessly in his injured heart, but he knew they were true. Ever since that incident back in childhood, he really hasn't changed, not even one bit. He didn't like that Kairi thought of him this way, and wanted to prove her wrong, but how? He followed right after her, but keeping a distance as to not upset her anymore than she already is. He kept a firm eye on her, making sure she'd be okay as he thought of how to convince Kairi that he had changed, at least, a little bit. Once Kairi reached home, he waited for her room light to turn on once he can enter the house. He slowly stepped up the stairs and glanced at Kairi's door before proceeding into his own room. He shut the door quietly, dropping his shopping bag on the dresser and plopped himself on his made bed. His eyes looked painfully at the blank ceiling, when he heard clunks rumble from above. Sora knew it was Kairi climbing on the roof to star-gaze again, so he ignored it. He got up and peeked behind the blinds, seeing a depressed dark blue sky with very little stars twinkling in it. His eyes dragged after he turned off his lamp light and decided to turn in for the night.

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Kairi didn't feel like looking at the sky today, and instead, observed the distant ocean. It's small waves could be seen against the moonlight. A mix of confusion, anger, and sadness swirled in her chest, as she hugged her legs tightly in the lonesome night.

**End Chapter 19**

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A/N: Well? How was it? Did you like it? Dx Sora you dummy! How could you say that about Kairi? Uh-oh, will Kairi ever forgive him? Stay tuned for Chapter 20!!! Please review and thanks for reading!! C8


	20. A Hand To Hold

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for a long update, I now have another story that I want to tell! It's called **Don't Expect A Tip** featuring Roxas and Naminé! Please read it sometime! Anyway, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 20**

The dim morning greeted as Sora slept silently when three knocks resonated from the door. His eyes opened slowly as he came in vision with his alarm clock that read '6:00'.

"Sora, wake up. Breakfast is ready," said the melancholy voice.

He didn't feel like getting up. He wanted to stay in bed, locked in his room as to not disturb Kairi, but he knew all too well he couldn't do that. His arms hoisted him up and slowly got out of bed, scanning for his fresh change of school uniform. Once he finished changing, he opened his bedroom door and found the familiar smell of delicious breakfast. His feet lightly whapped against the wooden stairs as faint sunlight illuminated the kitchen. Kairi was there, consuming her breakfast quietly as her mother attended the sink.

"Good morning, Sora," greeted Kairi's mother.

"Good morning," he nodded as he took a seat next to the silent Kairi.

It was very awkward since he tried his best not to make eye-contact with her.

"Why so quiet today, you two?" the mother asked, sitting herself down across the two.

Only silence was their answer to her question. She decided to let it go as she sipped her mug of hot coffee. After all, it seemed to be a stage teens go through sometime in their life. If that was true, she knew them all too well. Kairi suddenly got up and placed her dishes into the sink.

"Come on, Sora. We have to go," said Kairi.

He nodded slowly and followed after her, thanking her mother before proceeding out the door behind Kairi. The sound of the door shutting echoed throughout the quiet neighborhood as the two made their way down the sidewalk. Eerie silence followed like old times, and Sora began to worry.

_Great, now what am I supposed to say to her?_

Kairi trumped up ahead, keeping her head straight forward as if nothing was present behind her, which was a flustered Sora. He ruffled his hair nervously, trying to find SOMETHING decent in his brain to say.

_Just apologize! It doesn't matter HOW you do it, just DO it! If you don't, this'll haunt you for the rest of your life!_

Sora took a deep breath and paced up a bit, catching up to Kairi who had her stern indigo eyes forward.

"Kairi, look, I know you're still mad," he began.

"Then why are you still talking to me?" she interrupted rudely, keeping her fixed gaze.

He pouted at her words. "Because I won't be able to sleep soundly unless I apologize."

Kairi quirked a brow. "You actually _know_ how to apologize?"

"Ha-ha. Very funny," he replied irritably. "Anyway, I just want to say sorry in case you didn't hear me the first time yesterday."

"No, I heard you. I just didn't feel like accepting it."

Sora bulged his lower lip. "Well, do you feel like it now?"

"Nope," she said, still not giving him one hint of attention from her eyes.

Sora felt like he'd just ran a mile race. "Look Kairi, it was just a stupid excuse to get those girls to stop talking to me!"

"Yeah, and in that stupid excuse, _I_ was the stupid scapegoat," she added.

"No no Kairi, it's not like that!"

"Then why does it feel like it?"

"Because, because..."

She stopped. "Don't even bother, Sora. No matter what, I've already realized the truth about you."

"Kairi, don't say that I haven't changed! I already have!"

"Into the biggest jerk in the world!"

"No, that's not it!"

"Then what is it?!" she irritably yelled, scrunching her nose.

_Godammit, Sora! Why don't you just TELL her that you li-_

"It's because you're my friend, Kairi! Okay?!" he confessed, clenching his fists.

Kairi stood there, eyes wide as she took a moment to take in his words.

"F-Friend?" she repeated, feeling a kind of guilt swell inside her. She remembered how she told Erol that Sora was her friend, even BEST friend. But why was she feeling guilty? Did she really believe that Sora was no friend, and would always be an enemy? Was she lying to Erol about it?

"Yes, Kairi," he said rather calmly but averted her gaze. "Friend. You always have been."

She shook her head. "But, how can you consider me as a friend? We've always fought, and hated each other, and played pranks on each other! How-"

"Because, Kairi. I can't become your enemy, even if I tried," he said, feeling his heart sink lower. "No matter what insult I throw at you and what you throw at me, I'll never hate you."

Kairi felt as though she could cry. But why cry?

"Sora," she said, not sure what to add to next and just stood there, clenching a delicate fist to her heart. That feeling began to rise again. Painful and bittersweet.

Sora shook his head. "I said it twice and I'll say it again. I'm sorry, Kairi. And I mean it."

She smiled gently, feeling pressure lift from her shoulders from his heart-felt apology. In her heart, she said a warm 'thank-you' but from her mouth, she said, "Now it's YOUR turn to owe ME."

His eyes grew wide at her comment. "What are you talking about?! I just apologized! What more do you want?!"

"I want..." she began as she trailed off, thinking of the proper torture for her brunette companion.

He put on his usual annoyed face and shoved his hands in his pockets, although very thankful that Kairi returned back to normal.

"To just keep the things the way they are," she chuckled cutely, making Sora turn away red in the face.

"Pfft, whatever," he responded casually, shifting his shoulders a bit.

"C'mon, we should get to school."

Sora grunted at the word 'school' and followed behind his female companion. At last, the hardest part of the day was over. Sora was more than glad to have Kairi back to normal and in a good mood. After the daily routine, they followed through the black gates.

"Does Naminé hang out in your spot now?" Kairi asked, looking in Sora's direction.

"Well, she was there yesterday," Sora replied.

Kairi followed Sora to the usual tree of friends and found Naminé there once again, clutching her boyfriend's hand and laughing at a grinning Axel who poked at a pouting Roxas. Riku, of course, laid there like he was asleep.

"Hey cousin. Hey Kairi," Roxas greeted.

"Hi Sora, hi Kairi. You feeling better now?" Naminé asked, smiling to her best friend.

Kairi nodded. "Yeah I'm alright now."

"And how about you, cousin?" Roxas asked also.

"Better, now that Kairi's not blowing steam out of her ears," Sora replied lazily.

"Awwww, isn't that sweet," Axel said puckering his lips while narrowing his lime green eyes.

"Shut up, Axel. I don't feel like putting up with crap today," spat Sora, quirking his brows.

"And when do you ever?" asked Riku, peering up boredly at his best friend.

The brunette was about to snap back, when the bell resonated throughout the school, causing a massive pile of students to fill in. The group followed behind, either dreading, expecting, or couldn't care less of the day they were going to have at school. Today, was a very unexpected day. First period was a drag as always. Third didn't seem to bring up Sora's mood at all, but next period seemed to, for it was Physical Education. He rushed out, not wanting anymore traces of the teacher's droning voice in his ear when he noticed a bunch of girls twittering and giggling. And what's even stranger, was that they were directly looking AT him. Their eyes seemed to have a somewhat admiration in them. He quirked a brow, remembering the similar scenario that happened at the Shopping Districts and decided to shrug it off. Sora continued down the flight of stairs and made his way through the bustling hallways, when he noticed something peculiar, VERY peculiar. Every female he crossed gave him the same attention those girls gave. It was sending chills down his spine and wished he could just teleport to the boys' locker room, when an "excuse me" distracted him from behind. He turned to find a rather timid looking girl with plum hair in pigtails and innocent lavender eyes. She tried to make a cute appearance by lifting her shoulders to her face and having her arms wrapped behind her back.

"You're Sora, right?" she asked softly.

Sora was pretty convinced this girl was faking her innocence.

"Um, yeah. Why?" he asked, trying not to offend her.

"Well, I just want to know, if you're still going out with that Kairi girl," she said, slightly puckering her lips.

"No, I'm not," he honestly said, thinking of the hell he went through when he lied that _one_ time. "We were never going out to begin with."

Her egg-like face lit up and smiled back at her friends who were watching from the back.

"Um, well, I was just wondering, if you'd ever be interested..."

"In?" he said impatiently.

"In, um, me?" she said, smiling sheepishly.

He noticed the other girls around looking at him in disappointment. He scrunched his brows together. Why are all of these girls giving him attention all of a sudden? Or was it that they always have been, but he just hadn't really noticed? Whatever the reason, he wasn't interested in any of them.

"Sorry, but I'm not looking for a girlfriend right now," he rejected as politely as he could.

She frowned. "B-But, what's wrong? Am I not pretty enough? Or do you have another person?"

It was strange of how these girls try so hard to make themselves stand out. Kairi's not like that. She was always herself, not caring if she stood out to other people or not. Wait, why was he thinking about Kairi in a situation like this?

"It's not you, I'm just not interested at the moment," he said, trying to comfort her in the most possible way. Still she pouted and shuffled her feet.

"Oh, okay. Sorry for bothering you."

"No, don't worry about it. Um, I gotta go. I'll see you around," he hastily said, trying to contemplate the time he had wasted. She waved and returned to her friends with an evil like pout. He shook his head and proceeded onward to the next building containing a field in the back. He swung open the door, just in time for the bell to ring. The boys in the locker room began to undress, but you don't need to know the details. (Sorry fan girls...) He walked over to his teal locker and dropped his backpack onto the bench, swiftly opening his locker.

"Hm, I thought you would be the first one here," came a voice from behind. Sora turned his head to come in contact with Riku and Roxas already dressed in their P.E. uniforms.

"A distraction kept me," he said, turning back to his locker and pulled out his P.E. clothes.

"Distraction?" Roxas repeated sitting himself beside him.

"Yeah," he replied, peeling off his clothes.

"What kind?" Riku asked, leaning against the free lockers.

Sora tugged his shirt on. "Girls."

Riku and Roxas jerked their heads back lightly. "Girls? Why are they a distraction?"

The brunette sat himself down and ruffled his spiky hair.

"Since when did they pay any attention to me?" he asked.

Riku cocked his head. "Sora, they've always paid attention to you."

Roxas crossed his arms. "Yeah, you just haven't really noticed since you're always around with Kairi."

Sora jerked his head to his cousin. "Are you serious? I thought they were always on Riku's ass."

Riku socked his brunette best friend in the arm. "Look, that's not the point. The point is that you don't know just how popular you are until you pay attention."

Sora rubbed the sore spot irritably when a screeching whistle along with the male instructor's voice caught their attention. The boys shuffled out onto the field, bearing the blinding sun while walking across the blacktop and on to the field where soccer equipment was set up.

"Damn it, I hate soccer," Riku whined.

Sora shrugged, not minding the thought of playing the particular sport. After all, he was an athlete and a sports-lover. They positioned themselves on the field and awaited the instructor's orders.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kairi walked down the hallway, clutching her books with Naminé walking beside her. Male eyes kept watching her every step accompanied with a small smile of allure and interest.

"Why are they all looking at me?" she whispered, edging to Naminé.

"Haha, what do you mean why? They're checking you out like always."

Kairi jerked back at her best friend. "Checking me out? Since when?"

"Since you came here," Naminé chuckled.

"But I've never really noticed," said Kairi, facing forward again.

"Of course you haven't! You were always with Sora after all."

Kairi pouted at her friend as they made their way down to the last period of the day, when Kairi noticed familiar brown spikes sailing across the hallway. It was a beaten and bruised Sora that made his way on to next class sorely.

"Oh my gosh! What happened to Sora?!" Kairi said, grasping her books even tighter.

The two rushed up to him, who seemed like he was in a sour mood.

"Sora! What happened?" Naminé asked, scanning his injuries, Kairi did likewise.

"P.E. gave me hell," he replied bluntly.

Kairi looked to Naminé. "I'm sorry Naminé, but could you bring my things into the classroom?" she asked, nodding to the door not too far from them.

"Sure, but what will you do?" she said grabbing her things.

"I'll take Sora to the nurse's office," Kairi replied. Naminé nodded and proceeded on to their next class.

"Tch. Don't even bother. The nurse's office is closed for some reason. I'll survive, so just go with Nam back to class," he said, limping a step toward his destination. Kairi held him firmly by the chest and pulled his hand over her shoulder.

"Then I'll just help you get to your next class," she suggested, tightly hugging him on the side.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not an old man," he said, trying not to expose his pink cheeks.

"But you're injured. Besides, I don't feel like staying for History all that much."

Sora's brow lifted. "Wow, that's a surprise from you, miss Straight-A."

Kairi pouted. "You want another bruise?"

He sighed as his reply and remained quiet as she helped him to his next class, which was quite a ways to go. The bell rung, signaling for the last period to start. Kairi didn't stop as she continued to support Sora down the hallway, ignoring stares, envious and disappointing alike.

"How did you get all of these injuries?" Kairi asked, slowly ascending a flight of stairs.

"Soccer," he replied. "The jerks kept hitting me with the ball and crashing in to me intentionally."

Kairi turned to him and kept walking on. "Intentionally? How do you know they did it intentionally?"

A disgusted expression replaced his face. "Trust me, Kairi. When they do it and laugh behind your back, it was done intentionally."

"But WHY would they do it?" she emphasized as they were only a few meters away from Sora's next class.

"Pfft, I don't know," he said carelessly. "But out of all the days to kick my ass, they chose today."

Kairi thought for a bit as to what Sora would do just to get them angry. Sora noticed her deep in thought and felt a little fluttery inside that she would care this much for him.

"Don't bother Kairi. I already tried thinking, and I came up with nothing," he said, ignoring the bothersome butterflies roaming his stomach.

Kairi did as he was told and concentrated back on getting him to class slowly but surely.

"So how's the day going for you before getting pummeled to death in P.E.?" Kairi asked, not knowing where in the world that came from.

Apparently neither did Sora, but decided to play along with it. He didn't mind that Kairi was asking about his well-being, not at all.

"Weird. Totally out of the blue," he replied. Before Kairi could ask why, he had already answered. "I'm always getting weird looks where ever I go."

Kairi's head cocked to the side. "Weird looks? From who?"

"Girls," he answered. "It's creeping me out. Riku and Roxas said that they've always been staring at me, and that I just don't really notice."

Her eyes grew a bit wide and faced forward again.

"Well, how about you? Anything _exciting_ happening in this godforsaken school?" he decided to ask since it would only be fair.

Kairi paused a moment. "Well, my story's kind of the same with you. Except, it was guys looking."

Sora felt a nerve pop in his head, but ignored it. "Why were they looking?"

Her shoulders lifted under his arm. "I don't know. Naminé said they've always been watching me. It's kind of creepy."

The two came to a stop at Sora's dreaded class, which was Algebra. Kairi opened the door and found themselves interrupting a lesson since everyone's eyes focused mainly on them.

"What happened?" asked the male teacher, not moving from his spot in the front of the class.

"Injuries," Kairi informed. "The nurse's office was closed today, so I helped him get to class."

Sora noticed envious glares coming from both males and females.

"Well, thank you for getting him up here. I'll write you a pass for your excused tardy."

Kairi obeyed and helped Sora to his rightful seat, ignoring angry looks from females and went over to the instructor, obtaining a blue pass. She thanked him and made a small wave to Sora before going out of the classroom and back to her History class. So the class had begun and Kairi had an excuse for being late. Of course, all of the teachers adored her, so they let it slip. Last period ended rather quickly as the last bell rang for the students to go home and get started on their assignments. Kairi descended the steps and onto the main ground, surprisingly finding Sora there next to the usual tree. The bruises were still noticeable as she scanned him from afar.

"Wow, you got down here fast," she complimented.

"Yeah, well, a bunch of girls insisted on helping me," said Sora.

"So can you walk now? Or does it still hurt?" Kairi asked.

"Yeah, I can walk, but slowly. And yeah, it still hurts."

Kairi sighed and once again, hauled his arm over her shoulders and began supporting.

"We're going to have to treat those when we get home."

For some reason, Sora smiled at those words.

_Nurse Kairi, eh...?_

He couldn't believe what he was thinking and decided to shake it off, not knowing where in the world that came from. But the idea of her treating him and spoiling him sounded rather pleasing. The pair walked on home, going on the packed train and proceeding onward into the orange sky. The stroll was rather quiet and calm, but quick nonetheless. Kairi unlocked the door and found no sign of her mother. She helped Sora on to the squishy sofa and started for the kitchen, rummaging into the cabinets for a first-aid kit. Kairi made a triumphant smile as she pulled out a small white box with a small red cross printed on the front.

Sora relaxed against the energy-absorbing cushions as Kairi sat beside him, setting the kit firmly on the table. Unlocking the metal bearing, the box became a mutli-shelf medicine box containing bottles of substances, cotton-balls and q-tips.

"So, where are the bruises?" Kairi asked, picking out a delicate little bottle of alcohol and a handful of cotton balls.

"Everywhere," he replied, making Kairi pout. "Mostly on the chest though."

She nodded and adjusted herself facing directly at him.

"Okay, take off your shirt."

Sora looked at her like she pulled birds out of her mouth.

"Come again?" he asked.

"You heard me, take off your shirt," she demanded, trying to fight the force of heat in her face.

His eyes looked as if they'd fall out of their sockets. "You're not serious, are you?"

"Well how ELSE am I supposed to treat the bruises?" she scowled.

His face went red hot, as he sighed in embarrassment. Sora took a moment before he slipped off his shirt, revealing his injuries on his built chest. Kairi's face worsened at his condition and began applying a small amount of alcohol onto a cotton swab. Her fingers pressed gently against the cotton swab and against his bruised body, getting a slight hiss from Sora.

"Ow! That hurts!" he whined as Kairi repeatedly dabbed the spot.

"It's supposed to. Now hold still," she commanded as she applied more alcohol onto the swab.

Sora bore the pain, but not without slightly fidgeting and hissing every time Kairi mended the bruise. His fist clenched the couch cushions as pain surged from the source. Kairi's violet-blue eyes watched as Sora continued to twitch and scrunch whenever alcohol was applied to his injury. Kairi's mind stayed focused, when a flashback ran through her head.

----------Flashback----------

"_Owie!" Kairi cried when her young mother dabbed the small bleeding wound with a alcohol-soaked cotton ball._

_"Now now Kairi, please bear with me," her mother comforted as she repeated the process._

_Kairi's big blue eyes watered with little pools of tears, when a mature, strong hand firmly held hers as another application of alcohol touched her bleeding cut. The pain reduced as she squeezed her mother's hand every time she endured her treatment. With a comforting smile, her mother sealed the treated injury with a blue bubble band-aid and kissed it for her daughter's comfort. In response, Kairi smiled back and wrapped her tiny arms around her mother's neck thankfully._

----------End Flashback----------

"Ow ow ow!! Kairi! I think that's enough alcohol on ONE WOUND!!!!!" Sora yelped when Kairi was lost in her memory. She jumped out of her skin at the volume of Sora's angry yell and retreated the cotton ball away. He scratched his head in irritation as Kairi took a moment to think. He stopped his activity and focused on Kairi, who looked lost in thought.

"You gonna keep day-dreaming? Or am I going to have to have these bruises for the rest of my life?" he irritably asked.

"Oh! Right, sorry," Kairi said, shaking her head and reaching for a clean cotton ball. Her fingers gently poured a tiny bit of liquid onto the soft piece of fluff and edged to Sora's next wound, when Kairi looked at him in the face. Sora looked as though he was bracing himself for a needle-shot.

_I might as well. It's not going to mean anything, I'm just trying to help him bear the pain._

Kairi dabbed the bruise and Sora hissed like he always did, when he felt a slip of warm flesh curl under his clenching hand. The pain went away quickly as he examined Kairi's hand tightly held in his. Kairi ignored his reaction and began patting the sore spot. Sora wanted to say something, but what? Kairi withdrew, but her hand stayed in his.

"My mother used to hold my hand all the time if the pain was unbearable," she said nervously, clearing the confused look on Sora's pink face.

"Hmph, I'm not a child," Sora huffed, turning the other way.

Kairi looked at him with an "oh really..." look. "But it hurts right?"

"Yes," he answered. "It does. But I don't need comfort."

Kairi sagged her eyes a bit. "Oh, okay. Sorry."

Her fingers slowly made its way out of Sora's, when he resisted against it and kept a firm grasp on her hand.

"Look, just, just get this done before your mom comes home and finds us like this," he stammered, not knowing WHY in the world he didn't let go of Kairi's hand. Kairi chuckled warmly, and began the process until his whole chest was treated and taken care of. Once that was done, Kairi placed the first-aid kit back in it's rightful place. Kairi came back in less than a second and scanned his body for anymore injuries.

"Everything's okay now?" she asked.

Sora nodded. "Yeah, thanks."

"No problem," she smiled.

Sora jerked his head the other way, trying not to give in to Kairi's charms.

"Well, we better start on homework," Kairi said.

"God, you and that word," Sora whined. She laughed and led the way upstairs for him to follow. Sora pulled out his books and binders as Kairi beckoned him to her room for the time to study.

_If she only holds my hand when I'm in pain, then she'd hold it everyday..._

**End Chapter 20**

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A/N: Well? How was it? Did you like it? xD Sora's always so stubborn that it makes me giggle. Please review and thanks a bunches for reading!! C8


	21. A Jacket For Two

A/N: Hey guys! The updates will be lagging a bit, but don't worry. I'll update the best I can! And don't get me wrong guys, **Don't Expect A Tip** is a story I wrote for the fun of it besides this one. I've always wanted to write one like it, so I did! Anyway, here's the next chapter!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 21**

"Homework is impossible with you," Sora said to Kairi as they started off walking into a cold Wednesday.

"Pfft, don't blame me just because you don't know how to do simple algebra," Kairi scoffed.

"You call yesterday's homework SIMPLE?" he emphasized. "I got lost even WHEN you started explaining!"

Kairi bulged her pinks lips. "What are you, a CAVEMAN?"

"Tch," Sora hissed. "Forget it. I don't know how you can maintain all of those A's."

"By paying attention, that's how."

Sora shook his head in annoyance, not wanting to put up with her anymore, when he noticed something peculiar as they turned a corner.

"Hey, haven't you noticed that Mima or Erol aren't popping up anymore?"

Kairi looked around. "That's kind of strange. Maybe they're hitting off!"

Her brunette companion looked at her with a disgusted look. "What are you talking about?"

"Like lovers!!" Kairi beamed, making Sora blush uncomfortably. God, he hated it when he fell for her smiles.

"Y-Yeah, so?" he stuttered. "It's about time they got together. They're practically made for each other."

Kairi nodded in agreement. "They look so adorable together!"

In his mind, he tried to refuse to ask himself a simple question.

_Why can't she say that about US?_

Sora mentally slapped himself silly about what he just thought right that second. That was TOTALLY irrelevant...Right?

"Anyway, it sure is a bit peaceful now that they're not around," Kairi said, changing the subject, although, that wasn't any good.

"Hm," was Sora's only response as the two kept walking on. In fact, it really WAS peaceful. No Mima to cling on to his arm, no Erol to try and make a move on Kairi, just... peaceful. The stroll was quiet and the crowded train was speechless and the air was surprisingly chilly that morning.

"Geez! It's freezing!" Kairi shivered.

"You should've brought a jacket, dope," Sora scoffed as they passed the black iron gates.

"It was warm yesterday," said Kairi, examining the blue jacket with white stripes hung over Sora's arm. "Besides, it's only September!"

In the usual effect, Sora rolled his eyes and decided not to fight back as the two made their way to the usual spot.

"Kairi, where's your jacket?" Naminé asked once the two came within talking distance.

"I didn't know it would be this cold today," Kairi said, shivering a bit.

"Geez, you're always so ditzy," Sora remarked, receiving a glare from his auburn-headed companion.

"You don't watch the weather forecast, Kairi?" asked Axel, who was fiddling with Roxas's hair.

Kairi shook her head. "I never watch that stuff. I barely even watch television anymore."

"How do you live without at least watching TV. for an hour?" Riku asked, lifting a brow to his female best friend.

"I guess I study too much," Kairi chuckled.

"_I guess I study too much_," Sora copied horrendously, getting a whap to the arm.

"Geez, you two will never change, huh?" Roxas laughed, ignoring the hand that annoyingly ruffled through his hair.

The bell rang loudly, cueing the students to go in and enjoy another boring day. And so they did, although today wasn't so dull since there was a performance going on at lunchtime. Teachers blabbed, students wrote and listened simultaneously, and the bell rang for everyone to go home. Another typical day at school, but that's how life is, right?

"Geez, what's taking Kairi so long?" Sora asked himself, tapping his foot impatiently. As if on schedule, Kairi brushed past the doors and stopped in front of Sora.

"Sorry, I had questions and wanted some answers," said Kairi, hugging her books.

"Of course you did," Sora mocked while rolling his eyes.

"Don't tease me," Kairi pouted as they continued to walk on home. The air was even chillier than this morning, causing Kairi tremble. Sora hadn't even noticed since he was "looking forward" to doing homework, with Kairi. Once boarding the train, they filed in as much as they can, squeezing past passengers as the door slid shut. Before the train had begun to move, Kairi rummaged through her bag for her cell phone.

"Where is it?" she quietly whined, trying to feel for a soft plate of plastic. Sora, who was so close up to her sighed as her frustration.

"What are you looking for?" he asked, not caring at all.

"My cell phone," she answered, giving up and finding no trace of her item. "I think I left it at home."

"Ditz..."

"What did you say?" Kairi snarled in his face.

"Nothing. Anyway, why do you need it?"

"To call my mom. Since she'll be working late tonight, I wanted to ask her what she'd want for dinner."

"Momma's girl..."

"Do you WANT me to kill you?"

"Of course, Kairi! It's been a fantasy of mine!"

"That's it. You're dead when we get off this train."

"Can hardly wait..."

"Shut up."

The train ride, other than the beginning, wasn't so bad, excluding the crowded-ness and the close-ness. Once the packed car stopped at the platform, the passengers stepped out nonchalantly, along with a stumbling Sora and Kairi. Cold air breezed past again, making Kairi hug herself tightly. The quiet districts sent a slight chill up the pair's spines, for the districts would always be busy. It was like some sort of horror movie, but real. Once turning a corner to their neighborhood, lights shimmered through the windows along with moving silhouettes of adults and children alike. After reaching Kairi's empty house, she hastily rummaged through her bag to find her keychain, but saw no sign of it. Her eyes went wide.

"No, please don't tell me..." Kairi went over to the large railings connected to her porch and emptied out her bag. A comb, pencils, a stack of empty paper, binders, books, novels and text books alike, and gum fell onto the cold, thick surface.

Sora quirked a brow. "What are you doing?"

Kairi dropped her shoulders in depression. "I don't have my keys..."

His blue eyes went wide at the girl that stood before him. "Wait, say that again?"

She proceeded stuffing the materials back into her large bag sourly. "I said I don't have my keys."

"You're kidding," he said.

"Why would I be at a time like this?" she asked irritably.

"How in the world did you forget your keys?!" he exclaimed.

"Don't blame me! I stayed up late last night trying to help you with your homework!"

"Don't pin this one on me, ditz! Who in their right mind FORGETS their keys?!"

"Just drop it already! We'll just stay at your house. Do YOU have your keys?" she emphasized irritably.

"No, I don't. My parents don't trust me with it so your mom has it," he replied with an attitude.

Kairi felt like she'd faint right there. "Well, do you at least have your cell phone?"

Sora nodded and pulled it out, flipping it open.

"Ask Hayner, or Riku, or whoever if we can stay at their house for a bit."

He dialed numbers and searched through his virtual phone book, speaking to each one of his friends. But, coincidentally, each one would have a reason why they couldn't.

"Me and my parents are out right now. Sorry dude," Riku responded.

"My bad, cousin. I'm attending a meeting with my parents. It's really friggin' boring," said Roxas

"Sorry Sora, I'm at my aunt's house and won't be back for another three hours," replied Tidus.

"Oh, you just missed me, Sora. I'm with my brother watching a movie," Olette responded.

"Sora! I'm sorry, I can't. My parents are out, and I'm with Irvine right now," Selphie answered.

"Hey Sora. I'm sorry, I'm still at school. I'm dong key club," Naminé said.

Wakka never answers his cell phone and Yuna doesn't even have one. Sora flipped his phone shut, having the most annoyed look on his face.

"You have got to be kidding me," he mumbled, shoving the phone into the pocket of his back pack and peering at Kairi, who sat against the porch wall, hugging her legs tightly.

"No one?" she asked, meeting his annoyed gaze.

"Nope," he replied, leaning against the large railings. "Now what?"

Kairi sighed and quivered a bit at a chilly breeze sweeping past her. "We'll just have to wait for my mom to come home."

"Do you know your mom's cell phone number? I'll try calling it," he suggested, reaching his bag once again when Kairi shook her head.

"My mom only answers her phone only after work, and I don't know her work phone number," she informed bitterly.

Sora sighed heavily, retreating his hand and began leaning again.

"This is just great," he scoffed, letting the chilly breeze play with his gravity-defying hair.

Kairi was silent. After all, it was her fault for forgetting her cell phone and keys. Watching Sora sulk was a bit of a guilt-trip for her.

"Sorry..." she muttered through her knees.

Sora turned to her, lightening up a bit after hearing a soft apology from her. It didn't matter if it was one-worded, all that mattered was that she cared. He sighed and dropped his things by hers and plopped himself next to her.

"Don't worry about it. People make mistakes all the time," he reassured, making her ease up a bit.

**Whoosh!!**

Kairi jolted as the chilly air whipped past her and began curling in tighter, trying to develop warmth. Sora felt the reaction on his shoulder and took on a "slightly" worried expression.

"Geez, it's your fault for not bringing a jacket," he said, reaching for his that sloppily laid onto his backpack when Kairi held him back.

"D-Don't worry. I'll be okay," she stuttered reassuringly.

He paused and took a good look at how much she was shivering. "That's wonderful. So will I once you put on my jacket."

"No, it's okay! You don't have to!" Kairi gestured, but it was too late. Sora had already snatched his jacket and threw it over her head. She guiltily clung on to it with sorry eyes. Sora averted them, as usual, with a heated face.

"Th-Thanks," she mumbled, sliding it over her shoulders.

"Mm," Sora hummed as a "you're welcome".

It was silent for a good ten minutes, when Sora started feeling goose bumps on his skin.

"Here," Kairi said, offering his jacket back to him.

He pushed it away gently. "No, it's okay. I'll be fine."

Kairi's eyes drooped and wrapped herself around his jacket once more, keeping a watch on his every move.

_Why in the world is it getting colder?!_

He rubbed his arms roughly to heat himself up, but only worked for a mere second. The sky turned dark, and stars twinkled brightly as the street lamps flickered on. By now, Sora could see his breath. Kairi couldn't stand it and offered up his jacket once more.

"Here, Sora. Just take it. I'm alright now," Kairi said.

Once again, he refused. "Don't worry about me. Just keep yourself warm or you'll catch a cold."

"Yeah, but you will too if you're not kept warm," Kairi replied.

"Pfft," Sora blurted. "It's going to take more than this to make me catch a cold."

"Well, I don't want to take that chance," Kairi pouted, still having his jacket outstretched in hers.

"Don't worry Kairi. I promise, I'll be fine," he reassured, pushing her hand away.

"Fine," Kairi said, taking the jacket back.

"Good," Sora said, when all of a sudden, Kairi started edging closer to him. He felt the chill no more when she was shoulder to shoulder with him.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Keeping us both warm," she said, pulling the sweater across for both of them to share. Of course, Sora absolutely had NO problem with this, but as usual, he acted like he did.

"W-Well, it's not working," he stammered, fighting the heat in his face.

"It's not?" Kairi asked. Sora shook his head feverishly and clenched the other half of his jacket. Kairi decided to know for herself just how cold she was, and gently placed her hands on his arms. She felt a cold soft surface with little goose bumps everywhere. Sora looked at her like she violated him.

"What are you doing now?" he whined at her soft touch.

"You're really cold," she said, retreating her hand and looking into his eyes.

"No shit, Sherlock! What was your first clue?" he mocked, getting red in the face at how close she was.

"You'll catch a cold if this keeps up," she said worryingly.

"Kairi, like I said the last bazillion times, don't worry about it. I'll be fine," he sighed, leaning his head against the wooden wall.

"No, you won't," she said, putting her curled index finger to her pink lips, thinking of how to warm her companion up. At first, she thought the idea was a bit TOO much, but they were freezing! She didn't want him to catch a cold, so what could she do?

"Sora, do me a favor," Kairi said, facing him.

He looked at her. "What?"

"Turn this way," she gestured with her hands. And so he did, facing in a diagonal direction towards Kairi.

"Now what?" he asked, wondering what in the world she's up to.

"Don't freak out, okay?" she asked, edging closer that was too much for comfort. Her head rested against the side of his neck with her arm behind his back, holding his side while the other held on to his chest. It looked like a romance scene from a cliché romance movie! Sora's heart stopped at their awkward position, at their closeness, at the heat!

_Gahh!! She's so close!! What do I do? What do I do?!_

He managed to look down at her auburn head, which rested against his collarbone. Sora's jacket sprawled over them, hiding the activity that went on beyond its fabrics.

_She's so warm..._

"I-I-Is that i-it?" Sora gulped, not knowing if he should hug her back or just stay there with his arms hovering.

Kairi nodded softly. "Sorry, but it's the only way we can stay warm."

He didn't say anything. He had no objections whatsoever. He was tense all over and his heart beat rapidly as Kairi's chin leaned against it. Her eyes were closed as she felt the same warmth blooming in her chest. She looked up at his face, which as red as a beet.

"Sora? Why's your face all red? Are you sick already?" she asked concerningly, putting her small palm against his heated forehead.

"N-No, I'm fine!" he said, lowering her hand back down. "It's just, this is, a bit awkward..."

Kairi blushed a bit with the same hue of red, but couldn't help smile on the inside. "Just relax. I'm not going to do anything to hurt you."

"Pfft," he blurted. "Like you can even HURT me," he snarled, trying to not explode of embarrassment.

She ignored his comment and went back to resting her head against his chest with her arms wrapped around him. Sora did as he was told and relaxed. His arms fell at his side, one behind Kairi's back, and one resting on his knee. He looked around nervously, making sure nobody was watching, but why did it matter? He really didn't care at all if a crowd were pointing and laughing at him. It only mattered that Kairi was here with him, sharing their warmth together. After a good thirty minutes of waiting, Kairi's breathing became steady, and her eyes remained closed in a deep sleep. Sora peered down at his Sleeping Beauty and removed a couple of auburn locks away from her ivory face. Her lashes rested upon her soft, pink cheeks and her lips parted a bit for her breath to flow out. He had no idea what time it was, and wanted to check. Before even moving a muscle, he remembered shoving the cell phone into his small pocket of his back pack. He didn't want to wake Kairi up, so he sat there, oblivious of the time and peered up at the happily twinkling sky. His cheek leaned against Kairi's red head and felt himself getting warmer. With no care in the world, he finally decided to wrap his arms around her also. Yeah, he's hugging her, so what? It didn't matter to him at all, as long as Kairi was there with him. His eyes closed as he is engulfed in the warmth the two produced together in the cold night.

**End Chapter 21**

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A/N: Well? How was it? Did you like it? xD When my friend read it, he loved it so much because of the overload of fluff. Well, anyway, please review and thanks for reading! Chapter 22 is on its way! C8


	22. Trinity's House

A/N: Hi guys! I won't waste any of your time, so here's another update! Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 22**

Kairi rushed downstairs, tying her plaid tie hastily while trying to keep her light blue fleece jacket balanced over her shoulder. Her petite feet covered in knee-high black socks patted against the floor and came to a stop at the kitchen table, where breakfast was waiting. She took a seat, picking her to her liking when her mother came from behind and placed a gentle hand on her small shoulder.

"Kairi, may I ask you a personal question?" she gently spoke.

Kairi cocked her head a bit. "Sure mom."

Her mother cleared her throat and maintained a low voice as if trying not to let anyone else hear but her daughter.

"Is there something going on between you and Sora?"

"What do you mean?" she quirked, chewing a strip of fried bacon.

"You know," her mother hinted. "Like... a relationship?"

Kairi nearly projectile her chewed bacon at the vase of flowers before her.

"Mom, where in the WORLD did you get THAT idea???" she exclaimed loudly when her mother shushed her.

"Kairi, not so loud! Sora could hear!" her mother gestured.

Her brows quirked. "Mom, Sora and I have NOTHING going on, whatsoever! We're just friends!"

Kairi's mother placed her hands on her hips. "Then what was that little scenario going on yesterday when I came home?"

"What scenario?" Kairi asked fakely as she sipped her orange juice.

"Don't play dumb, young lady. That scenario yesterday when I came home!"

Kairi put down her orange juice. "Mom, we were FREEZING to death. We had no other choice! Sora only had one jacket!"

"Well, then why didn't you bring yours?" she questioned loudly.

"I didn't know it would be cold yesterday!!" she cried.

"Well you could've at least called me, or stayed at a friend's house!" her mother fought.

"Mom, you never answer your phone during work! And everybody had some lame excuse as to why we couldn't stay over there!" Kairi screeched.

**Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!**

Sora's large feet roughly stomped down the stairs as he came down, ruffling his brown spikes and wearing his uniform shaggily. Kairi and her mother remained quiet and watched his every move as he took a seat. He quickly noticed their eyes and looked back in confusion.

"Um, is something wrong?" he asked, peering up at Kairi's mother, who quickly retreated.

"Ah! Nothing Sora! Good morning!" she greeted as she rushed over to the sink and began rinsing pans.

"Good morning," he hesitantly greeted back while looking at Kairi.

"You didn't get sick, did you?" she asked, taking an egg.

He shook his head slowly. "Nope. Like I told you..." Sora reached for a plate. "It'll take more than that to get me sick."

"Right, right," Kairi agreed half-heartedly, eating the remains on her plate.

The two ate their breakfast lazily, not really looking forward to school, like they did any other day. Once finishing up, they made their way out the door into the chilly morning. Kairi's legs felt like they'd freeze up at any moment as they kept walking down the street. Their black dress shoes crunched across the gravel and their ties swayed with the tiny breeze. Kairi's baby blue jacket kept her upper half warm, while Sora's same rich blue jacket unzipped around his upper region.

"Geez, I hate winter," Kairi complained quietly.

"Are you kidding?" Sora asked lamely.

"No, I'm not," she replied bitterly.

"Well, I love it," Sora said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "There's presents, presents, more presents and, oh, did I mention presents?"

"Tch," Kairi huffed, seeing her breath disappear instantly. "Look who's the little kid now."

Sora glared at her. "Yeah, I'm already looking at her."

Kairi shoved him on the arm with a pout on her face. He bulged his lower lip and boredly stared at her.

"You pout too much," he commented.

"And you look like a drug-addict," she sourly commented back.

"Ooo, funny. I almost forgot to laugh," said Sora.

"Then let me remind you," she offered, cracking her knuckles.

"Go ahead, doll," he teased, sticking out a tongue. "Do your worst, if you can."

Before Kairi could even deal a blow, a small tap danced on her bare legs. She stopped her activity and peered down at a little girl within the age of seven to eight with maroon hair and big green eyes that beamed. Although, she seemed to be troubled.

"I'm sorry for bothering you, ma'am, but have you seen my moogle?" she asked rather innocently.

Sora looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

_What's a moogle?_

Kairi bent down to her height and smiled.

"I'm sorry little girl. I haven't seen your moogle."

The small child looked down depressingly at her feet. "Okay..."

Kairi looked at her like a loving mother would. "What's your name?"

Her tiny head peered into Kairi's blue eyes. "My name is Trinity."

Kairi nodded. "Nice to meet you Trinity. My name is Kairi, and that's Sora."

For some reason, Trinity blushed immensely at the sight of the looming Sora.

"H-Hello," she greeted rather timidly to him.

He cocked his head to the side, wondering why she's reacting like that. "Nice to meet you."

"So, Trinity," Kairi gently spoke, getting her attention again. "How about we look for your moogle?"

Sora's eyes went wide. "Kairi, are you kidding? We've got to get to school!"

She turned her head in his direction. "C'mon Sora. We have over an hour and a half to spare! It can't hurt helping out little Trinity."

Trinity shuffled her feet sheepishly. "I-It's okay. I'll go look for it by myself."

Kairi returned her smile warmly. "We have time to spare. We'll help look for it."

Sora sighed as Trinity nodded and Kairi got up to her regular posture. The three began looking around the general area for five minutes, when Sora spotted a strange looking red fluffy ball poking out of the neighbor's bushes. He reached for it, hauling out a strange looking doll that had a big red nose and black slits for eyes.

"Hey! I think I found it!" he called over to the two girls who searched together. Trinity ran happily to him, outstretching her arms for her beloved doll to come back into her arms. Sora handed it over generously, watching as the tiny girl lovingly hugged her doll. Apparently, the doll talked whenever you hugged it.

"Kupo!" it said. Kairi laughed in utter adoration for the young child while Sora looked away, not wanting to get all heated in the face again.

"Thank you, Sora!" she beamed.

Sora scratched his head in embarrassment. "It's no problem."

Kairi poked his cheek playfully with a bright smile on her face. "Sora, I didn't know you're such a softie for kids!"

He grabbed her intruding hand away from his red-glowing cheeks. "I'm not a softie."

"Are you two married?" asked Trinity.

The two teens whirled their heads at her, wondering if their ears heard her wrong.

"M-Married?? No no no! We're just friends!" Kairi stammered, not knowing where Trinity's question came from.

The eight year old buried her face into her moogle. "Oh, okay."

Sora looked at her dumbfounded.

_Where the hell did that come from? Married?!_

"Well," Trinity began. "It's just that mommy and daddy say that when they hold hands."

_What the- Hold hands? I'm not holding her-_

The adolescents looked at each other and quickly swapped away their hands.

"Th-That's your parents, kid. We're still teenagers," Sora said, uncomfortably blushing.

Trinity giggled. "But you two act a lot like a mommy and daddy!"

Kairi's face went hot. Sora shoved his hands in his pockets, averting any attention.

"A-Anyway, it was nice meeting you Trinity," Kairi laughed nervously. "We have to get to school now."

Trinity nodded. "Okay, thank you for helping me find my moogle! Come by and visit again sometime! I live up there now!"

Her stubby index finger pointed up the street, where moving trucks parked at the house with a sale sign staked into their grass. Kairi nodded and waved good-bye to the young girl as Sora followed after her, giving Trinity a small wave before turning the corner. It was awkward now that the little girl Trinity assumed the two were married. Were eight year-olds even ALLOWED to think like that?

"That was weird," Sora said, deciding to break the silence.

"Mm," Kairi agreed lightly, trying to fight the red from infiltrating her cheeks.

"You know," he began. "She looks like you."

Kairi looked at Sora. "What?"

"You heard me. She looks like you were you were little."

Kairi faced forward again, remembering Trinity's small features.

"Yeah, she kind of does," she agreed.

"She just doesn't have that monstrous temper- OW!"

Kairi pouted with her hand threateningly attempting to slap him on the arm again. Once he zipped his mouth shut, the two walked on forward to the train station taking their daily route to school. Once they reached the iron gates, the bell instantly rang, causing the massive number of students to file into the buildings. With a sigh of dread, the pair followed after the last student and to their respected classes. For some reason, the school day seemed to be a bit noisy that it annoyed Sora to not extent. He hated noise and commotion and always made an effort to stay away from crowds that were spontaneous about things. Kairi, on the other hand, didn't mind it at all since she's used to her girl friends gossiping all day during class periods. The classes strode by along with time, and the final bell rang as usual. Sora walked down the front and to the waiting tree, which no longer bore anymore leaves. He leaned against the thin trunk, facing the double doors where Kairi usually exits.

_"Are you two married?"_

Sora bulged his eyes and shook his head feverishly, slapping himself mentally at remembering Trinity's naive words. He sighed deeply, getting impatient when Kairi finally emerges from the dreadful building and onto the stoned front.

"Did you wait long?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I just got here." He turned in the direction for home. "Let's get going before it gets colder."

Kairi agreed and followed after him. After all, neither she nor he wanted THAT to happen again, even if it was a tad bit pleasant. As Sora predicted, the air's temperature dropped as they got out of the moving train and into the busy Shopping Districts. After walking for at least ten more minutes in silence, they finally turned a corner to where Kairi's home lay illuminated against the orange sky.

"You better have your keys this time," he warned.

"Keep your pants on, I have it right here," she reassured, jingling them. The pair walked up the sidewalk and onto Kairi's front porch. Just when she would insert the key into the keyhole, it swung open to reveal am unfamiliar woman. Kairi's mother's head peeked out the opening.

"Ah, Kairi! Sora! Just in time!" she said. "Come in before it gets cold!"

The woman moved out of the way, letting the couple come into the cozy warm house. Kairi noticed her mother's hands placed upon a familiar child's shoulders. Trinity smiled meekly and waved.

"Kairi, Sora, this is Trinity," Kairi's mother introduced.

"We know, mom. We met this morning on the way to school," Kairi informed politely.

"Ah! I see! Well then, say hello to her mother," she insisted, pointing to the woman who stood by the door. She smiled warmly and stuck out her hands for both of them to shake. They took it gratefully.

"It's nice to meet you," she said gently.

The two nodded. "You too."

Kairi's mother gently ushered Trinity to the two.

"Kairi, Sora, would you mind looking after Trinity for a bit? I'm going to help her mother settle into their new house."

Kairi nodded happily. Sora nodded hesitantly.

"Alright. We'll be back in a little bit," she informed, ushering Trinity's mother out the door. Kairi and Trinity waved good-bye to their mothers and shut the door. Kairi placed her hands on her hips and looked at Trinity with a fun smile.

"So! What shall we do first?" Kairi asked, bending over to her height.

Trinity beamed brightly, when Sora interrupted.

"Homework. We still have one more day until the weekends you know," he informed bitterly. Kairi peered up at him and rolled her eyes.

"Okay, fine. But after, we have to play with Trinity!" she exclaimed happily.

Sora shrugged. "I don't care."

Kairi took Trinity's small hands in hers and lead her upstairs.

"Come into my room. I don't think you'll enjoy staying with Sora," laughed Kairi.

"I heard that, ditz," Sora called angrily from behind. Trinity smiled warmly at Sora, who ignored her stare by closing his eyes. Once the two females reached Kairi's pink room, Trinity gazed in amazement at the decorated room.

"Wooow!" she gaped, staring at the accessories that hung around wooden knobs on her dresser. Kairi slid her closet open and picked out comfortable house clothes. Trinity stood in the middle of the room, wondering if she can touch anything.

"Haha, don't be afraid to look around!" Kairi insisted after slipping off her uniform. Trinity sheepishly made her way to the endless sight of exotic accessories and began holding them carefully, making sure she wasn't capable of dropping them.

**Knock! Knock! Knock!**

"Hold on!" Kairi called, throwing her skirt into the laundry basket near her dresser and slipping on long white sweat pants. Trinity placed Kairi's accessories back to where they belonged and watched the older female let Sora in. In his arms were a large textbook and a binder, accompanied with a pencil. He dreadfully dropped his things on Kairi's starry bed and sat at the edge, ruffling his brown, spiky hair. Once she got out her materials, she sat herself next to him. Trinity stood there, not know what to do and began staring around the room again. Kairi reached for two Lion King plushies and handed them to her considerably. She took it with glee and sat herself on the floor, looking at every perspective of the delightful toy.

"Thank you, Kairi!" Trinity exclaimed, hugging the Simba and Nala plushies together.

Kairi nodded while giggling. "We'll play with you after homework, okay?"

"Okay!" Trinity agreed and began setting a story in her imagination of how these two lions would be portrayed. Kairi focused back on Sora. She noticed that it wasn't his math book this time, but his Psychology book.

"No trouble in algebra anymore?" she asked.

"Nope," she replied. "My teacher didn't assign homework, thank God."

Kairi rolled her eyes and began scanning through his notes and homework. Trinity now made cute little voices and sounds as she made the story come to life with her enthusiasm and the two lion plushies. After a good fifteen minutes of homework, Sora slammed his Psychology book angrily.

"I'm not bipolar," he said, gritting his teeth at Kairi.

"I was just kidding, Sora," she laughed loudly. After putting away her things, Kairi took a notice at Trinity who now recited the end of Simba and Nala's journey since homework was done. Sora headed back to his room and shut the door loudly, dropping his exhausted self on his bed.

_Hmph, bipolar... I'm not bipolar..._

**Creaaaakkkk...**

He opened his eyes to find the two females peering rather sadly at him.

"Sora, you promised that you'll play with us," Kairi reminded. He sighed deeply, not wanting to get up from his comfy spot on his bed.

"I'm exhausted though," he complained lowly.

Trinity twiddled her fingers sadly as Kairi placed a hand over her shoulder.

"Come on, Trinity," Kairi sighed. "It will be just us two then."

Sora popped a vein with a "why me?" expression plastered on his face.

"Fine!" he exclaimed as he bolted up from his spot. "But only until her mom comes back."

Trinity beamed brightly as Sora lazily walked from his bed. Once he was in front of a smiling Kairi, he scowled.

"You owe me again," he quietly informed.

"You wish," Kairi replied. Trinity excitedly skipped down the stairs ad Sora boredly followed behind Kairi with the usual hands in his pockets. Trinity giggled enthusiastically as the two reached the bottom step.

"What should we all play?" Trinity cutely asked.

Kairi looked at Sora for a bit of help.

"Don't look at me. You dragged me down here," he said, reading her eyes.

"Ah! I know!" Trinity exclaimed. "How about we play 'House'?"

Sora quirked an eyebrow. "House? Aren't we in one?"

Kairi giggled. "She means as in role-playing a family life."

"Oh," he said, scratching his head. "Fine, whatever you two want. How do you play?"

Trinity jumped with joy and pointed at Sora.

"You're daddy, okay?"

Sora's eyes grew wide. "I'm what?!"

Trinity then pointed at Kairi.

"And you're mommy, okay Kairi?"

Kairi smiled and nodded. "Sure. And who will you be?"

Trinity pointed to herself. "Your daughter of course!"

The "mommy" and "daddy" looked at each other, blushing uncomfortably until they agreed.

Trinity immediately began the game and tugged at Kairi's sleeve.

"Mommy! Mommy!" she cried. "Can I have a bite to eat?"

Kairi laughed and bent down to her so-called "daughter".

"Sure, sweetie. What would you like?" she asked sweetly.

Trinity placed her index finger against her chin and began thinking.

"Can I have cookies?" Trinity asked, beaming with enthusiasm.

"Sure, I'll be right back," said Kairi, and began going into the kitchen. Trinity's next target stood there, looking at her like an alien. His little "daughter" tugged at his pants.

"Daddy! Daddy!" she called.

"What?" he sourly replied.

Trinity pouted. "Sora, you're supposed to be nice!"  
"Hmph," Sora huffed. "What if I don't want to be?"

Trinity placed her hands on her small hips. "It's how you play 'House'! Everyone loves each other!"

Sora sighed in defeat, not in the mood of putting up with anything anymore.

Trinity cutely frowned with big emerald eyes and tugged at his sleeve innocently. "Please? Sora?"

Sora couldn't stand it any longer. How many times will he fall for a girl's cuteness? Let alone from an eight year-old's adorable-ness?!

"Fine," he sighed.

Trinity smiled and tried again, tugging at his sleeve.

"Daddy! Daddy!" she repeated.

Sora cleared his throat. "What is it, _dear_ daughter?"

_Oh God, someone shoot me now..._

"Daddy, can I ride the top of your shoulders?" she asked jumping up and down.

Sora peered at her with a lifted eyebrow. "Sure, why not..."

He picked up Trinity and hoisted her above his shoulders, hanging on to her legs while she giggled away at his hair.

"Wow daddy! You have weird hair!" she laughed, trying to part his hair so she can see.

"It's how 'daddy' was born," Sora angrily replied as Trinity kept playing with his brown, spiked locks. Kairi came back into the room, having a chocolate chip cookie in her hand when she noticed the unbearably cute sight before her and couldn't help but giggle.

"How cute!" she complimented at the Trinity above Sora's shoulders.

"Hi mommy! Can I have my cookie?" Trinity asked, reaching out to Kairi.

"Hey, if you want to eat a cookie, don't eat it on my head. You'll get crumbs in my hair," Sora said, looking up.

He carefully picked Trinity over his shoulders and settled him back on the ground.

"Awwww, daddy, you're no fun," she pouted while taking a small bite from her cookie.

Kairi giggled at Sora.

"Well, maybe because 'daddy' wants to keep his hair clean," he scoffed.

Trinity kept taking nips at her cookie as Kairi continued to giggle.

"Don't you laugh at me, ditz," he scowled.

"I can't help it! It was so cute!" she squealed.

"Shut up," he said flushing.

"Hey!" Trinity cried after finishing her last remains of the cookie. "That's not a nice thing to say to mommy!"

Kairi smiled triumphantly. "Yeah, 'darling'. It's not nice!"

Sora felt like exploding right there.

"Go on daddy. Apologize to mommy!" Trinity urged, tugging at his sleeve again.

He popped a vein, not BELIEVING he's actually doing this.

"Sorry," he huffed.

Trinity decided to let it go and then added," Now tell her that you love her!"

It was as if a lightening bolt suddenly came form the heavens and struck the two.

"Wh-What?!" Sora exclaimed, red as a beet. "N-No way am I going to do THAT!"

"Y-Yeah, I don't think we should do that," Kairi agreed.

"Awww!" Trinity whined. "Why not??"

Kairi knelt down to her height. "Well, the word 'love' is a very strong word, and should be used carefully, not playfully."

Trinity cocked her head to the side. "How strong is it?"

The "mother" patted her "daughter's" head with a warm smile. "Let's just say, it will change others."

The young auburn-headed girl still didn't understand, when she yawned widely with tears of sleepiness filling her eyes.

"I'm sleepy," she hazily said, rubbing her eyes with tiny clenched fists.

Kairi picked her up and held her in her arms. "Take a nap for a little bit until your mom gets here."

Trinity laid her head on Kairi's shoulder as she saw a blurry vision of Sora. If she was correct, she thought he was slightly smiling. Her eyes drifted until they were closed completely as Kairi sat down on the couch. Sora only watched the motherly act, when Trinity opened her eyes one last time.

"Where's daddy...?" she sleepily asked Kairi. The elder female looked up at Sora, who walked over slowly and sat beside the two.

"I'm right here," he said, getting her attention.

Trinity weakly smiled and rested her head on his lap.

"Okay, I feel better now..." said Trinity before drifting off into her nap. In less than a minute, her slumber took in fully and she slept soundly with her head on Sora's lap and the rest of her body on Kairi's. Sora sighed quietly, feeling totally drained when he spots Kairi adoring the child's slumber. That look, he knew he'd seen it before, way back in the days. And how he missed that look.

"You're good with kids," he quietly said, earning Kairi's attention.

"You think so?" she smiled at him. "I've always liked children. They're always so full of energy."

Sora looked back down at Trinity's sleeping head. "Then I'll take it that your future job will be a teacher?"

She nodded. "Maybe..."

After a silent fifteen minutes passed, Trinity's mother came to take her to her new home down the street, unknowingly having a small smile as she kept still in her sleep.

**End Chapter 22**

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A/N: Well? How was it? Did you like it? xD I've had this idea stuck in my head for a while, and I'm now happy that I finally got to write it out! Stay updated for Chapter 23 and please review and thanks for reading! C8


	23. Pink and Blue

A/N: Hey guys! I apologize ever so much for the longest update in the world! Dx School really bites you in the butt. Anyway, I won't take up anymore of your time. Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 23**

"Sora, come on, hurry up!!" Kairi bellowed from behind as Sora stumbled his way through the busy commoners.

"Hold your horses, woman!" he angrily shouted back while dodging a plump lady with shopping bags.

"C'mon, we'll be late!!" she bellowed once again, facing forward this time.

"Hey, it's not my fault you're the one who woke up late!" he replied, irritably catching up to her.

"No time for that, come on!" she urged, grabbing his wrist and breaking into a run.

Even the slightest contact Kairi makes with Sora, he blooms into a cherry head, or a strawberry one at the least. God, how he hated it! In his mind, he repeatedly insulted himself by saying "sap!" over and over again. He shook his head feverishly, shaking the heat away from Kairi's small hands gripped around his wrist and followed after her to the train station. The cold air rushed by, invisibly combing their hairs and pummeling into their eyes while their feet carried them across the Shopping Districts. After staggering up the train steps and forcibly squishing into the train car, the doors slid shut and sped across the rails, creating an unbalanced silence inside the car. After impatiently waiting for five minutes, Kairi once again sped out of the train car with Sora's wrist still in her grasp.

"Kairi!! Slow down, will ya?! It's not like the teachers are going to give you hell if you're late!" he whined, closing his eyes from the rushing gust.

"Oh yes they will!! Don't tell me you forgot that time when we were fighting!" she retorted, still in a slightly slower run.

"How could I forget," he mumbled. "It's when you kept giving me the damn cold shoulder."

Her feet trampled along with Sora's clumsy ones following behind. He was quite surprised Kairi hadn't even broken into a sweat yet. She was usually the un-athletic type, in his eyes. With a twist and a turn around a corner, the school's giant trio of buildings emerged from the ground along with its iron black gates. Kairi slowed down and sighed in relief, glad that students were still idly hanging around and not slamming themselves into the buildings. Sora, on the other hand, lazily followed up behind her with a mug expression. He took out his cell phone, checking the time.

"We have ten minutes before the bell," he irritably said while shoving his phone back into his pockets. "Did we HAVE to run here like chickens with their heads cut off?"

Kairi kept walking on, ignoring Sora's comment when she soon replied after passing the black gates," Yes we did. I don't want another detention."

Sora mocked behind her head, sticking a tongue at her auburn streaks. "Well, excuse me miss stuck-up-to-the-whole-friggin'-campus...-OW!"

The hand that firmly held Sora's wrist now hovered over Kairi's head, clutched in a fist which clearly threatened another sore spot for the arm.

"Do you ALWAYS have to do that?" he steamingly emphasized.

"When you're acting like and IDIOT, then yes," she fought back.

"Hmph," he huffed. "You and your monstrous- Okay! Okay! I won't say anything anymore!" he pleaded after Kairi edged closer with the aura of a killer.

"Good. Now come on, the rest of the group's waiting for us," she calmly stated, leaving Sora to follow. He ruffled his messy spikes, wondering how Kairi always got control over him, even when she's the sweetest person in the world. Was he that easy to manipulate? When it comes to Kairi, maybe. The pair was greeted by the usual people gathered around the bare tree. It followed with the daily routine of the two being asked of anything new. Of course, they responded with a "no". Well, that wasn't entirely true, ever since the "game" with Trinity yesterday. They didn't speak a single word of it, since they knew all too well that the entire group would get more than a kick out of it. It would be hell all day. The bell's deafening notice echoed across the now dreaded campus as the students shuffled past the double doors and into their usual classes. If there was one thing these students had in common, it was how they wished the day would be over to embrace the weekends of no school for two days. To them, it was heaven, especially for Sora since he dreaded being locked up in a room, forced to learn about useless things that don't even apply to real-life situations. To his relief, the last bell rang, and everyone excitedly rushed out into the cold open air as Sora casually walked over to the waiting spot for Kairi. After shoving his earphones back into his pockets (which were used for drowning out the teacher's voice), he kept a lazy eye on the double doors, when a tap on the shoulder interrupted his watch. His best friend Riku and Roxas were standing there, grinning at him.

"What are you two smiling about?" Sora asked, regretting he even asked.

"Nothing, nothing at all," Riku faked.

"Nothing, my ass. What are you two up to?" the brunette asked more seriously this time.

Roxas pulled out two pairs of what seemed like vibrant tickets and waved it in front of Sora's face.

"You know what these are?" asked Roxas.

"No, I don't," Sora replied, trying to make out the blur of words from the waving tickets.

"Then I'll tell you," Roxas contently said, withdrawing them. "These are tickets to a once-in-a-life-time carnival!"

Sora rubbed his ears from the volume Roxas was spewing from his mouth. "Wonderful."

"Yes, VERY wonderful!" Roxas smiled. "You want 'em?"

"No," Sora bluntly replied.

Roxas pouted immediately when Kairi walked through the double-doors with Erol by her side, talking with her.

"Hm, I guess I'll just give the other to Erol then. Hey Ero-"

Without a second's notice, Sora swiped the ticket out of his cousin's hand.

"I'm not letting that idiot go with Kairi," he growled, clenching the piece of paper.

"I never said Kairi was the other one," Roxas chuckled. "Buuuut, if you insist. Hey Kairi!! Over here!!"

Kairi heard the familiar voice of her friend and gracefully walked over after waving good-bye to Erol.

"Hey Roxas, Riku. What's up?" she asked.

"You know about that carnival that's showing up today, right?" Roxas asked, grinning widely.

Kairi nodded. "Yeah, I heard it's really expensive to get the tickets and I really wanted to go."

"It was," Riku answered. "But I won this dumb contest and got two for free."

Kairi's face lit up. "Really?? That's great Riku! Who are you going with?"

"Nobody," he answered beginning to grin as well. Sora just stood there with a pout on his face, still clenching the ticket beside him. "I gave the tickets away."

"To who?" Kairi asked.

Roxas held up the vibrant ticket for her eyes to adore.

"Aww, that's sweet! Are you taking Naminé on a date?"

"Yes, and no," Roxas answered.

Kairi tilted her head. "Yes and no?"

"Yes, I am taking Naminé on a date today. No, not to the carnival."

Kairi was now confused. "Well, if you're not going, then who is?"

Roxas showed his pearly whites with joy. "I don't know. It's up to Sora. He has the other ticket."

Her auburn head turned to Sora, who looked as if he'd explode of embarrassment. A very obvious pink was sketched across his face but wasn't so obvious anymore since her turned the other way. Kairi noticed the crumpled ticket in his hand.

"Sora?" she asked, as if he'd had lost the ability to even look at her. "Who are you going to go with?"

He ruffled his brown spikes irritably, and then glanced down at the scrunched ticket in his hand.

Sora sighed, then pumped up his chest as he sucked in a breath. "We're going at six. Be sure to load up with some munny."

Riku looked like he'd pee his pants at trying to contain his laughter of the sappy moment occurring in his aquamarine eyes.

"Oh, okay!" Kairi gleefully answered.

Roxas gladly handed the ticket to Kairi, who gave the most brilliant smile. Too bad Sora was turning the other way.

"Thank you Riku, for giving these to us!" Kairi said in gratitude as she examined the ticket with interest.

"No problem," the silver-haired boy said. "Carnivals weren't my thing anyway."

"Well, how did you win these tickets?" Kairi asked.

"A dumb game called Guitar Hero 2. It was too easy," he bragged carelessly.

Kairi chuckled. "I see. It's no wonder I see you in the guitar room everyday. It's your specialty after all."

"Well, I gotta go guys! My date with Nam is in an hour! I'll see ya later!" Roxas bade and made a jog down the sidewalk.

"Well, enjoy your date," Riku grinned as he ignored Sora's death glare and made a turn around the opposite corner. Kairi inspected the ticket again; making sure it was actually a real-quality ticket. The carnival was apparently called "Night Life" with big fancy letters scrawled across the ticket. Sora made a grunting noise, getting her attention.  
"Come on, we better get going so we can get ready," he flatly said, taking the lead in the walk.

Kairi nodded silently and followed behind, still looking at the ticket like it was a gold medal and smiling warmly to herself.

"Thanks for taking me along, Sora," she said loud enough for him to hear up front. He didn't say anything, which was sort of expected from him and Kairi just accepted his silent reply. It's a shame that she can't see his cherry-colored face with an embarrassed expression and his eyes shut.

_No problem..._

The walk was silent, but nonetheless, strangely warm excluding the cold air that kept brushing itself against the two.

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"Hm, maybe I should wear this," Kairi said to herself, holding out an elegant dress at her knees' length before her. Nodding with approval, she settled it on her bed and went over to her box of accessories and such, picking out some bracelets and rings along with a pair of simple earrings.

_I think I need a shower..._

After knowing the time, which was half past four, she grabbed a towel out of her closet and prepared the shower, waiting for its warm water to spout out.

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Sora angrily twisted himself around on his bed, cursing to himself that this night would be an embarrassment ride for him! Literally! He was so stupid of just taking the tickets from Riku and Roxas! He could've given them to someone else, or better off, plainly say no! But nooooooo, Erol just HAD to be there with her, which put him at a great disadvantage that Roxas could use. Plus, he just had to be a SUCKER for Kairi. Really, it was pathetic, which is what he thought.

_Now I'm going to make a big fool out of myself in front of her! I know it! Either that or someone's going to help me!!_

Hearing the grumbling sound the walls made gave him the indication that Kairi was getting ready. He told himself he should be getting ready soon, but his nervous-ness got the better of him.

"Maybe I should just tell her the whole thing's off," he said quietly, afraid she might hear beyond the walls.

_She's always wanted to go to this carnival since she's heard of it. You want to go and disappoint her NOW?_

"I'd rather do that than make a fool of myself in front of her!"

_Geez, you're stubborn..._

"Glad you noticed."

_Whatever. Right when she was so flattered that you even considered of taking her along._

"..."

_Hah! You're such a sap!_

"And that's what I hate!"

_Then prove to yourself you're not by going with her. It won't be so bad if you ACTUALLY make something work._

"Fine. I'll prove it then. I'm no sap."

With that, he got up hastily and picked out something decent to wear, ignoring his rapid heart and the growing heat in his face.

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"Sora! Kairi! Hurry up before the entrance lines will develop!" Kairi's mother shouted from below, folding clothes on the couch. Sora opened his door on cue, letting out his fragrant smell of light cologne and preceded down the stairs. The mother took notice and smiled cheekily.

"My, how handsome you look!" she commented at his attire.

Sora uncomfortably straightened his unzipped navy jacket. His crown chain glistened in the dim lighting emitting from the kitchen against his hidden long-sleeved shirt.

"Thank you," he said politely. "Is it too much?"

Kairi's mother giggled softly. "Not at all! You look very put together."

Sora nodded apprehensively, not knowing if that was a comment or an insult. He was always put together, right? He looked down at his lower region's attire, examining the dark blue jeans and his clean white socks. A square-like bump protruded in his pockets, indicating his cell phone along with his wallet. Sora sighed quietly, as to not distract Kairi's mother from folding clothes when large thumps caught their attention. Kairi quickly paced down the stairs, slightly panting a bit from rushing herself to get dressed since she took almost an hour in the shower.

"Sorry I took a bit," she laughed nervously, sliding her auburn locks behind her ear revealing earrings that glistened as brightly as Sora's chain.

"My, you always like that dress, don't you Kairi?" her mother asked, adoring her daughter's figure that fit perfectly.

Kairi nodded. "Daddy bought it for me after all!"

Sora took the opportunity to notice Kairi's accessories, which made her seem like a princess and the small white jacket that took on the form of her shoulders, although, he was not aware of how long he was staring.

"I like your outfit, Sora," Kairi complimented, distracting him from her attire. He turned away quickly, giving up the ability to fight back his embarrassment.

"Th-Thanks," he mumbled. Kairi's mother finished the last of the articles of clothing and went over to the two. In her hands, were gold specs as she held it up to Sora.

"Your mother and father hope you spend it well," she said warmly. Sora nodded and took it obediently as she turned her direction to her daughter.

"And you have your munny, right?" she asked.

Kairi nodded. "All in here." Kairi gave her small purse a shake, making a sort of jingling noise in it.

"Okay you two," Kairi's mother began and escorted the pair to the front door. Before walking them out into the cold-chilly night, Kairi's mother bade," Be careful and have fun!"

The two waved back and proceeded on to the route through the Shopping Districts. Slight crunches could be heard from Kairi's strapped heels which were only half an inch thick. It seemed ice was forming slowly day by day, and that would mean the coldest month, December, was approaching quickly. Once reaching the complex area, Sora could hear the thumping of his own heart in his ears quite loudly. Good thing Kairi was taking an interest in how pretty the lights glowed against the black twinkling sky.

_Crap crap crap crap! I'm getting nervous already!!_

Why he was getting nervous at all was beyond him. It was just a simple "hang-out" with him and Kairi. CERTAINLY not a date, right? It's just friends spending time with each other. Together. At a carnival. Where lovers usually go. Right? This logic didn't help Sora one bit, as his face illuminated heat like the streetlamps did. Silence made it even more awkward as Sora looked as though he'd lose his mind if SOMETHING didn't happen. Kairi felt the awkwardness in Sora's direction and looked up to him.

"You okay?" she asked rather sweetly. "You're all red in the face."

Sora feverishly shook his head. "Yeah, fine, just fine."

Kairi put a hand to his forehead, which made him blush an even deeper shade. "Hm, are you sure?"

"Yeah," Sora responded, lowering her hand. "Just don't worry about it."

Kairi pouted. "Even if you tell me that, I'm still going to worry."

"You don't trust me?" he asked, putting back his usual offensive lazy look.

"When it comes to situations like this, not really," she casually responded and looked ahead.

The pair was now out of the Shopping Districts and walked past the empty parks, eyeing the lit up buildings and sidewalks. Sora was relieved to hear the sounds of cars and bustling people on the streets so the silence won't be so awkward anymore. After another five minutes of walking, Kairi's beamed at the wondrous sight that stood on a large bridge on top of the ocean's shores. In vibrant rays and extravagant figure against the sky, was the carnival called "Night Life" in full blown Technicolor lights. Its reflection swayed lazily in the waters as the moon looked happily upon the fun area. Sora followed after Kairi and stared in awe at the glorious sight. It took a moment for it all to sink in when Kairi interrupted.

"Shall we get going then?" she asked happily.

"Yeah," Sora agreed, wondering how the moon's rays enhanced Kairi's features even more.

Kairi couldn't keep her excitement together, as she made a grab for Sora's hand and headed quickly to the carnival's entrance. As the mother had predicted a little while ago, a line started protruding from the ticket box. Sora and Kairi followed in line, glancing around at all of the people. Well, actually, they were more like couples. This made Sora's stomach squirm once again just glancing at a couple ahead who had their fingers interlocked with another. The line moved rather quickly, and it was Sora and Kairi's turn to turn in their tickets.

"Thank you," said the kind woman on the other side of the plastic window, punching the tickets. Kairi lead the way around the small stand and crossed the metallic bars, beholding a marvelous sight of rides, games, and food. Sora did likewise.

"So, what should we do first?" Kairi giddily asked, immediately eyeing a cotton candy stand.

"I don't know. What do you want to do?" Sora asked, ruffling the back of his head and taking a good look around.

"I want to go on the rides first!" she excitedly said, pointing to a fairly big rollercoaster like a child.

Personally, roller coasters made Sora's stomach churn with sickness, but he wouldn't risk Kairi going alone, so he went along with it. After a terrifying drop and a couple of corkscrews here and there, the ride ended with a loopedy-loop and came to a stop. Sora staggered out, using a pole for support as he panted and tried to control his tumbling stomach. Kairi laughed as she crossed the exit gate and went over to Sora.

"Sora, if you didn't want to go, you didn't have to," Kairi giggled.

"Who said I didn't want to go?" Sora muttered, calming his stomach down.

"Well, if it made you sick, then why did you?" she asked again, rubbing his back.

Sora felt the warmth forming as he felt Kairi's touch.

"I figured it'd be boring for you if you went alone. Besides, it seemed you were having fun with me screaming like a girl..."

Kairi bursted out in laughter again as Sora regained his posture and secretly adored her cute smile whenever she found something funny.

"Yeah yeah," Sora droned. "Okay, anything else you want to go on?"

Kairi nodded and made sure every ride possible came into her sight. "Let's go on every ride, and then we'll play games later!"

The word "every ride" made Sora even more regretful that he even came to this god-forsaken couple's carnival with Kairi, at least, that's he tried telling himself. As the saying goes," Time flies by when you're having fun," and this couldn't more true. Kairi was having the time of her life, while Sora, secretly, was enjoying every minute with her. After thirty minutes of amusement rides, Sora and Kairi emerged from the exit of the bumper cars area.

"Wow, you're a pretty good driver, Sora!" Kairi complimented.

Sora hated bumper cars, for the intense force made his head throb. "Yeah, whatever. Can we move to something that doesn't require extreme moving now?"

Kairi giggled and nodded. After all, it felt like she'd loose her voice if she screamed anymore than today. The pair made their way onto the gaming area, where varieties of entertainment could be found, from basketball to Jacob's ladder. Kairi adored each stuffed toy that displayed on the walls and participated in almost every game they came across. Although Kairi wasn't very athletic, she managed to win small plushies. Sora watched and chuckled to himself as Kairi kept making mistakes, thinking it was cute of how concentrated she was. After finishing a fishing game and earning a decent prize, Kairi's blue eyes caught a very big teddy bear that was a delicate shade of pink and had a red ribbon around its neck. The game was a strength test, which was very common in most amusement parks. There was this big thermometer-like pole that measure strength through the force acted on the metal weight attached to the bottom on it. You had a choice of two hammers: one very large and heavy one, and one very small and light. Numbers flashed on top of the amount of strength acted upon the metal weight and that number shall determine the size of the prize you receive. In other words, the more your strength is, the bigger prize you get. Kairi KNEW she was athletic, and decided to give it a try. Sora, on the other hand, thought it better to not try it.

"Kairi, I don't think it'll be a good idea," he spoke, trying to not offend her.

"Oh come on! I want a chance to earn that big pink teddy bear!" she excitedly said, stopping at the small fence that separated the game from the outside.

"It'll put a lot of stress on your body," Sora intervened, hoping that she'll reconsider.

"It won't be THAT bad," Kairi emphasized, watching the man getting ready to hit the metal weight. The large hammer came busting down on the plate, making a stream of light go up the pole and the numbers to increase in illumination. It slowed to a stop, and read "117". The man looked triumphantly while his, what seemed like, girlfriend, hugged him in appraisal. The energetic man running the game gave him a medium-sized red bear, which was now passed on to the winner's girlfriend who squealed with glee. There was a small crowd, watching the event, but soon dissipated when it was over. Kairi excitedly pulled specs of munny out of her purse and got the man's attention.

"How much will it be for a swing?" Kairi asked.

"350 munny," the man smiled.

"And what's the requirement for getting that?" she asked again, pointing to the large, pink bear. Sora looked over to where she was pointing and rolled his eyes at her obsession with the color pink.

"At least 200 or over," he replied again. Kairi's shoulders drooped a bit, but that didn't let her back down from the game. She'll at least win SOMETHING. After paying the man, she entered through the fence while Sora watched embarrassingly. A crowd started to form again, watching Kairi pick the lightest hammer and began rubbing her hands together. With a high swing, she flimsily slammed the hammer down with as much strength she could muster, sending the light to go up. She quickly glanced up at the increasing numbers, but soon frowned a bit when it stopped suddenly at "57".

"Oh well," she sighed. At least she'll get a prize. Sora leaned against the fence, ignoring the couple beside him when he overheard their conversation.

"How embarrassing," the girl said as she was wrapped in her boyfriend's arms.

"Does she even have a date?" the guy said.

"Probably not. She's holding all of the stuffed toys," said the girl again.

Sora hated it when people assumed things without even attempting to find out the truth. Although, he did feel a bit guilty that Kairi had to hold the bag of prizes and making her seem like a loner. While Kairi looked over to Sora, who seemed quite annoyed, she felt like she was boring him or taking up his precious time to do something else.

"So, what color would you like, miss?" the man said, revealing a stand of tiny multicolored miniature bears. Kairi spotted a cute, baby blue one with a navy blue ribbon around its neck and picked it out. He handed it to her with care, and Kairi looked at it with hope in her eyes as she went over to Sora. He went out of his annoyed thought and looked at the bear being presented to him. His eyes peeked over at her somewhat sad expression and lifted a brow.

"I know your favorite color is a darker blue, but it's the only color of blue they have," she said, retreating a bit so she can get a glance at his face.

All at once, Sora felt his insides heating up and wanted to pull Kairi into a hug, but the fence was refraining him from doing so. Instead, he took the bear gently and looked at it caringly, as if Kairi had handed him a valuable piece of treasure. He took his eyes off the bear and watched as Kairi made her way around the fence and over to him with a small smile. His ears caught another bit of the pervious couple's words.

"Oh, she DOES have a date," said the guy.

"Wow, he must really not care about her if he's not even talking to her," said the girl.

Sora gritted his teeth at the annoying pair which stood a distance away but were fairly loud. Kairi heard it too, but ignored it. Sora bit his lip and looked back down at the bear, when he made a decision.

"Hold this for a second," he said, handing the bear hastily back to Kairi and casually jumped over the fence, handing the man some munny.

"You know the drill," the man said, standing by to watch the spiky brunette chose a hammer. After testing out the large hammer, he gave it a twirl in the air and caught it like it was nothing with one hand. After rolling up his jacket sleeves, he aimed the hammer to the exact middle of the metal plate.

"Do your best Sora!" Kairi cheered. Sora's heart gave a summersault, and, for once in his life, decided to return his thanks with a goal-getting smile. After turning back to the game, he thought it better to use one hand and see if he was strong enough. Using his best hand, which was his left, he held the hammer with a firm grasp. With a deep breath, he swung back the hammer, giving it potential energy, and slammed it onto the weight, causing the light to rocket up the pole. After the all of the force had been successfully exerted upon the metal, he peered up at the numbers, which still kept increasing. The crowd behind stood and watched for the numbers to stop, impressed at how strong this young man was. Kairi looked up with amazement, holding Sora's bear close to her bosom as her heart thumped quickly. The numbers slowed to a stop, and read "268". It flashed brilliantly, applauding Sora along with the crowd who clapped quietly. Sora ruffled his hair in embarrassment while the man beamed at him.

"Well now ,son. That's a strong arm you've got there," he commented.

"Um, thanks," Sora hesitated.

"Take your pick," the man said, pointing to the largest bears on display.

"The pink one," he immediately responded. The man nodded and took down the ginormous bear and handed it to him. Sora walked steadily to Kairi, who smiled brightly. Good thing the bear was big so he could hide his face.

"Wow, that was amazing, Sora!" she laughed. "Although, I didn't know your favorite color was pink too!"

"Idiot," he said, holding it out to her. "I hate pink."

Kairi looked at it as if he was giving her the same treasure. Sora quickly got irritated and urged the bear to her again.

"Well? You gunna take it?" he impatiently asked, ignoring the "awwwwww"s from the couples passing by.

Kairi embraced it gently, feeling the urge to melt when she noticed Sora's hand outstretched like he was demanding something.

"Gimme my bear," he mumbled, trying to not show the pink rushing in his face. Kairi gladly handed it to him while he swiped it and held it in between his arm and side as his hands were placed in his pockets like it was nothing. Sora jumped back over the fence and noticed the bag of plushies held in her hands. He took it too, swinging it over his shoulders.

"Sora, you don't have to-"

"You're going to have trouble if you're carrying that big thing around," he interrupted.

Kairi chuckled to herself, loving how kind Sora is being even though he's a bit rude about it. Sora sighed, glad that the games were taken care of.

"You hungry?" he asked , looking around for a small restaurant of some type.

"Yeah," Kairi admitted, feeling her stomach churn. "Let's go look around."

And so the pair did. Looking around the area, they spotted a few restaurants and stopped at a plain looking one since Sora was only in the mood for fries. They placed a spot for their dinner and ate quite fast since the time really did fly by to about 9: 21. After satisfied with the junk food being digested in her stomach, they exhaustedly walked out of the carnival and onto the shore where the waters retreated every now and then. Kairi still held on to her baby pink bear like it was the greatest thing in the world. Sora held his baby blue one and the rest of Kairi's earned prizes inside the transparent bag. The moon was now high over the calm ocean and glistened peacefully as the sand took on a dark shadow. The carnival's lights shrank and blurred with each increasing distance the couple took.

"Thanks for today," Kairi said. "I had a lot of fun."

"Hm," Sora said. "Glad you did."

Kairi got the impression that he quite didn't.

"You didn't, did you...?" Kairi said depressingly, which made Sora go into panic mode.

"What made you think that?" he said as calmly as he could.

Kairi looked pained. "You just... didn't seem like you were having fun."

"Well, don't assume all the time. It's bad," he said, remembering the annoying couple earlier.

Kairi looked at him with her gentle eyes. "Well, did you?"

Sappy as he is when is comes to Kairi, he responded," Yeah, I did. Now stop worrying about it."

She looked back down at her large, pink bear. "Okay, I'll trust you this time then."

Sora smiled, but not enough for Kairi to notice. "Good."

The breeze what cold, white quite refreshing since they were near the sea. The waters twinkled along with the moon and stars, when something loud and bright flashed into the skies. The two averted their attention to the fireworks blooming against the dark blue plane. It was a beautiful sight, especially from the shore. Their eyes watched with each spark of color exploding in the air while their teddy bears were held firmly in their masters' arms, the pink on in hers, and the blue one in his.

**End Chapter 23**

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A/N: Well? How was it? Did you like it? xD I had this idea swimming in my head, I just never really noticed. Alright, please forgive me if the next update is a bit lengthy too. Please guys, I really am trying my best, so no urging rudely, okay? Until then, see you guys next chapter! C8


	24. Upcoming Events

A/N: Hey guys! New update! At least was a lot quicker than the other one! Here's Chapter 24, Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 24**

It was a very cold Saturday, and the birds thought it better to chirp lightly since their baby chicks were still in the process of hatching. The wind seemed to slow down a bit, playing lightly with the trees' fallen leaves like dancing colors. The people of Twilight Town busied themselves more than usual for the upcoming holiday of gift exchanging famously known as Christmas. Ice had begun to show itself on the bare branches of trees and between the creases in sidewalks. Breaths could be seen in faint florescent smoke as their eyes strained against the cold air protesting against them. Although the people trotted on with no complaint, there was one particular person wasn't so joyous of the change in temperature.

"It's so cold!" Kairi shivered, hugging herself.

"Get used to it," Sora flatly said, attempting to cover up his quivers.

"You're one to talk," Kairi said, seeing through his 'tough-guy' act.

"Oh shut it," he spat. "Why are we even out here anyway?"

"Because I want to get out of the house," Kairi answered, breathing into her cupped hands.

"Why? We were just out yesterday!" whined Sora.

"I never said you had to come!" Kairi intervened, glaring at him.

"Whatever," he huffed. "It'd be boring if I was alone in the house anyway."

"Psh, like hanging out with me would be any better," said Kairi.

"True, true," Sora mocked quietly, earning another glare.

"You're so annoying," she commented.

"And you're not?" he asked, preparing for another useless argument.

"Just shut up."

"I will when you do."

"Ugh! You're so childish!"

"And you're ditzy."

"Pig-headed dope."

"Dumb tomboy."

"Pathetic excuse for an idiot."

"Pathetic excuse for a girl."

"Agh! That's it!" Kairi shouted, cueing Sora to run far far away, which he did. Kairi chased after him with a demonic aura while Sora just had the usual bored expression. Passersby looked curiously at the chasing pair, wondering if kids their age always acted like that.

_Same old, same old..._

Being the better athlete, Sora kept his endurance with up with no problem while Kairi started slowing down to a stop. Eventually, he did too and looked back at her whom desperately gasped for air. Sora walked back casually, crossing his arms over his head and looked lazily at his female companion.

"You really need to work on your fitness," he stated.

"And... you need... to work... on that... attitude of yours..." Kairi panted, seeing her own breath and peering up at him as she did so.

"You're one to talk," yawned Sora.

"So are you," Kairi said, regaining enough oxygen to talk normally. Sensing another argument coming on, she quickly said," Look, let's just keep our mouths shut so we won't have to have another argument."

"Why? It's fun," said Sora.

"You think its FUN?" Kairi emphasized bitterly.

"Yeah, better than walking around all day," Sora huffed.

Kairi sighed. "I don't know how I managed to put up with you for a week."

"Likewise," Sora flatly responded, bracing himself for a bruised arm.

"That reminds me," Kairi said and began walking. "When are your parents coming back?"

Sora walked alongside her and kept his arms crossed behind him. "Tomorrow, which means unpacking all day."

"Do you want me to help?" she asked, breathing into her hands again.

"Don't worry about it. I got it covered," he casually said.

There was a silence between them as they continued walking down the streets and emerging into the over-crowded Shopping Districts. Managing to stay together, they peered into shops and stores, noticing the vibrant colors of red, white, green and gold, which usually screamed out the word "Christmas". Kairi's thoughts clicked once seeing a couple of boxed presents on display outside of a gift accessories shop. She looked down at her beige boot-covered feet as they came up from under her.

_Oh yeah. I have to get mom, dad and all of my friends a present._

Sora took notice to a funny looking trinket in an antique shop and suddenly realized a certain thing when he saw the item wrapped in a colorful green bow. He looked forward, thinking harder than he ever thought before.

_Crap. I gotta get presents for my parents and everyone else._

Kairi bit her lip, having trouble contemplating on how to give each of her friends individual presents.

_I don't have enough munny to get everyone individual presents..._

Sora ruffled the back of his hair, trying to figure out how to meets his friends' Christmas needs.

_Damn it. I don't have the munny to get everyone something different._

Before taking a step further, Sora's cell phone went off. He rummaged through his jacket pocket and flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Sora. It's me, Riku."

"Hey Riku, what's up?"

"Not a lot. You free today?"

Sora peered over at Kairi. "Kind of. I'm with Kairi right now."

"Geez, is it me, or have you and Kairi been hanging out a LOT over the past week?"

"Shut your trap and get to the point," Sora growled.

"Okay okay. The group wants to hang out. You and Kairi up for it?"

He peered over at Kairi once again.

"Hey, wanna hang out with the group?" he said, getting her attention.

"Sure, if they don't mind."

Sora went back to Riku. "Sure. Where do you guys want to meet?"

"Kairi's house."

Sora's head cocked a bit.

"Why at Kairi's house?"

Sora could hear Riku chuckling evilly. "Because we know how long you've been staying over at her house."

He froze, not knowing what to say next. Kairi looked up at him, wondering why he had gotten all rigid all of a sudden.

"Sora? Something wrong?" she asked, waving a hand in front of his face.

_Crap! How did they figure it out?!_

Riku spoke again. "Well, until then. See ya."

The connection ended and Sora slowly flipped his phone into his jacket pocket, keeping the same disgruntled expression. Kairi curved her brows, wondering what's up with him all of a sudden.

"Who was that?" Kairi decided to start.

"Riku," he bluntly responded. "The group wants to hang out."

"Where at?" Kairi asked, making Sora's heart sink lower.

"Your house," he answered again.

Kairi lifted her brows. "Why at my house?"

This would be a good time for a random lightning bolt to suddenly strike Sora and leave him as a pile of ashes.

"Because," he responded, not letting her know the real truth. "Now come on, I'm freezing."

Actually, it was the exact opposite. Sora never thought he'd feel so hot inside his jacket in the midst of winter's arrival. The thought of the group teasing him to no end haunted freshly in his mind. Kairi was oblivious to it and led the way home with a flustered Sora staggering behind. After enduring a torturing ten minutes of nearing Kairi's house, the two caught sight of the whole group standing outside of her domain. It didn't improve Sora's condition once seeing the grins and snickers they kept emitting. Kairi tilted her head once witnessing Selphie giggling that went out of control.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"Nothing," Selphie lied, looking back to the others.

"So," Hayner began. "What did you guys do this week?"

Kairi looked as though he was implying something. "Nothing really. Why?"

Sora cursed himself and kept his back to the group.

"Are you sure?" Tidus asked. "Because you two seem quite friendlier than usual."

Kairi looked at Sora, who had his shoulders up to his ears.

"What are you guys talking about?" she asked again, feeling really left out of the group's secret.

"Oh come on, Kairi," Naminé giggled. "We know what you guys have been doing."

"I think you guys are crazy," Kairi stated flatly.

"Not as crazy as you two are," Roxas added.

"Yeah, you guys have guts trying to hide something like that from us," grinned Riku.

"Hide what?" Kairi asked again, feeling impatient.

Olette took her turn to giggle. "That Sora has been staying over your house for a week."

Kairi's blue eyes went wide as Sora just wanted to melt right there and go down a drain.

"Wh-Where did you guys get that from?" she asked, trying to fake it the best she could.

"No use trying to hide it," Yuna smiled.

Kairi let out a deep breath, seeing as there really WAS no use and took a side-glance at Sora who looked as if he'd fall dead right there even though his face was concealed by his broad shoulders.

"Fine, fine," Kairi droned. "You caught us. Now let's get inside, I'm freezing!"

The group immediately agreed, feeling the cold-ness the air threatened and rushed inside as soon as Kairi got the door to unlock. Feeling the warm pressing against them, they scattered across the living room instantly after sluggishly removing their frost-bitten shoes. Naturally, everyone was in some sort of distorted circle and waited fro Kairi to join. Seeing that every inch of space on the floor and couches were unbelievably taken up by even just one person, she just decided to stand. After removing their outer layers of clothing, they finally settled down peacefully and took in the warm feeling and the scent of vase-flowers on the table. Kairi leaned against the wall, adoring her friends' lazy-ness as they sprawled themselves carelessly over everything they could possible reach.

"So, what is it we were going to do?" Kairi asked, taking an interest in her fingers.

Like waking up from slumber, everyone reverted their attention to the auburn girl.

"Oh yeah... That..." Selphie dreamily said, enjoying the comfort of the floor she laid on.

"Yeah, that," Kairi repeated.

"Well, we wanted to discuss upcoming events," Olette decided to say since everyone was too relaxed to even mumble a word.

"Upcoming events?" Sora muffled through the pillow he laid face-flat on while the rest of his body occupied the two-seater couch.

"Yeah," Tidus agreed. "We have the festival next week."

"And the Sleeping Beauty play after that week," Hayner added.

"Then comes Christmas," Yuna finished for them.

Kairi felt her legs giving way, wanting to relax like the rest of them and went over to the couch Sora sprawled himself over. She gave a slight slap to his leg, making him acknowledge her presence.

"What?" he mumbled through the pillow. Even though he couldn't see the abuser, he knew it would be Kairi since she had the guts to even lay a hand on him.

"Make room," she demanded. Everyone else laughed silently, watching another scenario.

"No," he denied.

Kairi crossed her arms. "Fine."

Sora felt relieved that he didn't have to move, when, all of a sudden, a surprising weight suddenly placed itself on his gluttonous maximus, a.k.a butt. He immediately withdrew form the pillow and peered over at a triumphant Kairi above him.

"Hey, get your ass off my ass," he spat, finding it difficult to twist his body with her weight holding down.

"I told you to make room," she repeated, getting comfortable.

The group laughed as Sora slammed his head back on the pillow, cursing in muffles no one could hear. Kairi giggled a bit herself and turned her attention back on everyone else.

"Well, what's there to discuss about?" she asked, getting back on the appropriate topic.

"Well for one thing, the festival," said Roxas, putting an arm around Naminé. "The festival lasts for three days."

"Okay, so?" Kairi asked again.

"So, does that mean we'll be going for all three days?" Riku asked, leaning against the couch Tidus and Yuna were stationed at.

"I don't know, I'm not the one to decide," Kairi said, feeling a bit flattered that they were asking for her consent.

"I think we should," Selphie cheerily suggested. "There'll be all kinds of performances going on, and each one will be different each day!"

Olette gave an agreeing nod. "I think so too. It'll be fun!"

"Okay then," Tidus said. "Load up with a lot of munny by next week."

One thing decided, two to go.

"Now, about the Sleeping Beauty play," Yuna started.

"The play also lasts for three days," Olette informed.

Sora's head shot out of the pillow wide-eyes with disbelief. "Wait, THREE DAYS? Are you sure???"

Riku nodded. "You didn't know?"

"No!" Sora answered loudly, and then looked up at Kairi who seemed very calm with the situation. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

Kairi gave an 'excuse me?' look and crossed her arms. "Sora, you should know that plays don't only show for ONE day."

"Hey, back in elementary school, the plays only lasted for an hour!" he wailed.

"Well, we're not in elementary school anymore, now are we?" Kairi slyly asked.

Sora thumped his head back on his pillow, dreading everything happening in his life every second.

_Great! Just friggin' great! The play goes on for three days!! Meaning I have to KISS HER THREE TIMES!_

Another thing popped in his thoughts, and he decided to ask now.

"How many times does the play show each day?" he asked rashly, turning to the group of people before him.

"Two," Hayner replied, wondering why he's so interested about the situation.

"One directly after school and one in the night time," Yuna added.

Sora flung his head back down on the pillow again, wanting to explode of heat.

_I HAVE TO KISS HER SIX TIMES!!!_

Kairi looked at the back of his spiky brown head like an alien.

"Why are you so uptight about it?" she asked.

"Nothing," he mumbled miserably.

"Hey, come on. We have to run it two times in each of the three days. The drama teacher said that we're drawing in a big audience," informed Naminé.

Obviously, this didn't help Sora's mood one bit. Not only will he have to kiss her six times, it will be in front of an enormous crowd. What's worse was that he and Kairi had basically the main roles in the entire play. Oh, god, if only that stupid lightning bolt that refused to randomly strike on a sunny day hit Sora dead on right now.

"The play will finally take place a week from next Friday," Selphie stated, staring up at the ceiling.

"Then Sunday will be the last one?" Kairi asked.

Selphie nodded. "Then we're clear of plays! Now all that's left is Christmas!"

Roxas adjusted his position a little. "What are we all going to do for Christmas?"

"Luckily, I'm not going out of town, and we'll be having a party!" Selphie announced. "I'm only inviting those who get to participate in our little event!"

"Event?" Kairi asked, causing Sora's face to turn and focus on a smiling Selphie.

"Yup! I'd like everyone to participate in it!" she squealed.

"Well, what is it?" Hayner asked.

"It's the game almost everyone knows about!" she said, taking a liking to beating around the bush.

"Just spit it out already, Selph!" Kairi complained.

"Okay okay! Don't have your underwear in a bunch!"

Everyone sighed at Selphie's habit of stalling.

"The event it called Secret Santa!" she announced happily, awaiting everyone's reaction, which was content approval. Not exciting, but content. Selphie placed her hands on her hips and pouted. "That's the best reaction you guys can give me?"

"Well, it's not the most exciting thing in the world, Selph," Riku stated, looking at the ends of his silver locks.

"Well, I think it is," Selphie snorted. "Well anyway, what do you say guys?"

"Sure, why not. We have an even number right now anyway," Hayner lazily approved. Olette, sitting next to him, nodded in suit.

"What about Wakka?" Sora asked, feeling the pain in his twisted neck.

"He's in Besaid right now and won't come back until next year in January," Tidus informed. "The dude is lucky, since he'll be missing out on school."

"We'll be sure so send him some presents then, right guys?" Yuna warmly suggested.

Everyone nodded or groaned in their own way of saying "sure".

"Okay okay, back to Secret Santa! How about we get this settled right now? That way, we'll have at least two months to think about it and purchase it!"

"But, don't you think that's a bit TOO early, Selphie?" Naminé asked.

"Psha! There's no such thing as TOO early!" twittered Selphie.

"Oh yes there is..." Tidus grumbled.

"Anyway, let's do it! We have nothing better to do!" Selphie beamed.

"Fine fine," Riku sighed, not wanting top get up form his cozy spot.

Sora turned his head back to Kairi. "Hey, get off my ass now. I can't feel it anymore."

Kairi hopped off, debating whether Sora just complimented or insulted her rump.

_My butt's not that big..._

"Kairi, can you get a piece of paper, a pen and some kind of bag?" Selphie asked, scooting over to the table.

Kairi nodded and paced upstairs, looking for the things Selphie demanded. As the rest of the group lounged around with Kairi temporarily absent, they decided to turn their attention back on Sora.

"Soo, Sora," Riku began. Of course he'd have the first word. "How was staying at Kairi's for a week? Was it fun?"

"No," Sora replied more clearly, turning on his back and facing the ceiling. "It was hell."

"Oh stop being so modest," Selphie teased.

"Right. Sure. Modest," Sora yawned.

"C'mon. Surely you guys weren't fighting the whole week or something," said Olette.

"You don't even know the half of it," droned Sora.

"Well, I know one part of it," Roxas grinned. The blonde's comment put Sora in a state of uncomfortable-ness.

"What part?" Sora asked, regretting that move and wanting to staple his mouth shut forever.

"Oh, you mean THAT one?" Riku grinned also, switching his eye's attention from the wall to Roxas.

"Ohhhh! THAT one!" Naminé giggled.

"...Which one?" Sora asked, wondering what in the world everyone's talking about.

"Man, I couldn't believe my ears when I heard THAT one," Hayner teased.

Olette playfully punched Hayner on the arm. "Oh come on, I thought it was cute!"

"Utterly adorable, THAT one was!" Selphie squealed.

"Really? I thought it made me sick to my stomach," Tidus laughed.

"It's no wonder you're not a romance fan," Yuna chuckled.

"What are you guys talking about?!" Sora cried, dying to be let in on the secret.

The group started laughing as Sora fumed and looked as if steam was blowing out of his ears.

"Well, it was a very cold and chilly night," Riku began like he was telling a story.

"Two males, one blonde and one silver-haired, were walking down '1st street' late in the night," Roxas added on.

Sora gulped, not wanting to hear what comes next. He already knew who "the silver-haired guy" and "the blonde" were.

"The blonde guy was fixated on texting his girlfriend," Naminé laughed.

"While the silver-haired dude just walked casually beside him," Hayner said.

"All of a sudden, the silver-haired guy saw something on the house with the number '8655'," Olette giggled.

Sora's head jerked back. The number '8655' was Kairi's house.

"The silver-haired dude nudged the blonde, pointing on the 'something' on that house's front porch," Tidus continued, like it was a ghost story.

"They stepped closer, but remained quiet when they were so surprised at what they found," Yuna chuckled.

The hair on Sora's neck began to stand up. "What did they find?"

Selphie now could not control her giggling, but managed to say," Why don't you look at your cousin and Naminé?"

He immediately did, wondering why everyone was now trying to suppress their giggles. His eyes went wide at the little scenario Naminé and Roxas were enacting. It looked just like the night where Kairi forgot her keys and shared a jacket with Sora. His face went cherry red in an instant.

"H-How did you guys-"

"Like I said," Riku interrupted. "Me and Roxas were walking home since our parents met up and we saw you and Kairi."

"B-But if it w-was just you t-two, then how did the others find out?" Sora stammered, trying to stay calm.

Roxas sighed after his little scenario act and half-smiled to Riku. "This guy just doesn't know how to shut up."

"Hey guys, I got the stuff," Kairi said, running downstairs with a plastic bag, a pen, and a slip of notebook paper. She settled the down beside Selphie and soon perked her eyebrows at why everyone was in an abnormally giddy mood. "Um, was it something I missed?"

"Nope, nothing at all," Selphie chuckled. "Okay, I'll write the names down."

Kairi walked back to her seat, which was formerly Sora's rump, but now that he's on his back, she decided to sit on his legs. Sora felt the weight again this time on a lower part of his body and quickly opened his legs before Kairi's butt could crush them.

"Ever heard of asking?" Sora lamely asked, feeling his shin warm a bit to Kairi's thighs.

"Nope," Kairi flatly responded, crossing her legs.

Selphie would pause occasionally from writing, then resume doing so, which made the group a bit uneasy. After another minute of writing, Selphie took a good look at the list and passed it around before tearing the names into individual slips.

"Did I spell everyone's names right?" she asked.

"Selphie," Riku began, looking at the list and passing to Roxas. "My name doesn't have two k's in it."

"Oh, close enough," Selphie said.

"My name's not "Rucksack', Selphie," Roxas irritably said, having Naminé look at it.

"Hey, I did the best I could!!" Selphie whined.

"Oh, Selphie, the "e" at the end of my name should have the-"

Selphie snatched the paper away from Naminé and shaved it back to Riku, along with the pencil.

"Fine you bunch of babies, pass it around and write your names yourselves," pouted Selphie.

Feeling better at the idea, everyone corrected Selphie's mistake and handed it back to her in no time. She began making creases and folds in the paper, making sure that each name was cut into a small rectangle. Once ripping carefully and precisely, Selphie tossed each name into the bag and gave it a good shake, mixing up the names carefully. Kairi watched the many pieces of paper jumble around like a washing machine until Selphie made a spin cycle just in case it wasn't shuffled enough. Selphie stood up and held the bag out for everyone to see.

"Everyone will pick out one slip! No peeking!" she squealed and strode over to Riku, who closed his eyes and rummaged around for a name. He pulled out a slip and shrugged at the name he picked.

"And no telling anyone who you got!" Selphie reminded and moved on to Olette. Once going through everyone, Selphie picked up the last slip and smiled to herself.

"Alright! Now that everyone has a person, think about what you should get them! You have two months to think about it and purchase it, which is plenty of time!" (If you're curious as to who received which person, go to the Author's Note.)

Sora sighed at the slip of paper before him and slipped it into his back pocket. Kairi folded hers neatly, thinking to herself as Selphie kept yapping and repeating everything she just said ten minutes ago. When she stopped running her mouth, she made weird eye contacts with everyone in the group, EXCEPT for Sora and Kairi. Everyone obviously knew what she was implying and immediately got up. Sora and Kairi looked at each other, wondering why everyone was in unison. Naminé separated from Roxas and went over to Kairi.

"Kairi, can me and the girls talk with you for a moment?" Naminé sweetly asked.

"Um, sure," Kairi agreed, getting up slowly.

"You too, Sora. Me and the guys need to have a little talk with you," Roxas stated.

"Say it here then," Sora replied, refusing to budge when Roxas made a bold move to sit on his stomach. "Ack!! Okay okay, I'm up!!"

"Good, now come on. We're all going outside for a bit."

Everyone filed out of Kairi's house, slipping on their jackets once again to bear the cold as the groups of the opposite sexes divided, waving to each other or giving the thumbs-up. Kairi and Sora, comfortable that they remained with their own kin, now felt slightly uncomfortable as to what their friends were going to do to them.

**End Chapter 24**

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A/N: Secret Santa List:

(Giver---Receiver)

Sora---Olette

Kairi---Sora

Riku---Naminé

Roxas---Yuna

Naminé---Tidus

Selphie---Riku

Olette---Kairi

Hayner---Roxas

Yuna---Selphie

Tidus---Hayner

Well, how was it? Did you like it? Yeah, I know, not a lot of action going on in here, but it'll help the story later on, so just trust me for now! Curious as to what the boys and girls will do for Sora and Kairi? Find out next Chapter! Please review and thanks for reading! C8


	25. Questions and Answers

A/N: Hey guys! Another late update, sorry. xX But anyway, this chapter might be a bit boring for you, so you can skip if you'd like. Also, don't expect a quick update, because I might get a job and my schedules are on weekends. Okay, enough blabber, enjoy!

Quick side-notes:

**-G's POV ------ Girls' Point of View**

**-B's POV ------ Boys' Point of View**

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

---------------------------------------------------------------

**Chapter 25**

**-G's POV**

"So," Kairi began as the girls walked toward the Shopping Districts. "What did you guys want to talk to me about?"

The girls stopped in their tracks and whirled around to their auburn-headed friend, having the expressions as if they were waiting for her to ask. They took their initial poses and began to look like they were thinking.

"Well," Naminé began, pressing her index finger on her bottom lip. "We just wanted to know something from you."

"Not much," Selphie shrugged. "Just a tidbit."

"Well, what's it about?" Kairi asked, beginning to feel a bit like an alien.

"Before we do that," Olette spoke, clapping her hands together. "You have to promise us something."

Kairi raised her thin brows. "And what would that promise be?"

"You must not answer until we are completely finished," answered Yuna, her blue and green eyes enhanced in somewhat of a piercing stare.

Kairi scratched her cheek.

"Um, okay, sure," agreed Kairi.

The girls looked at each other, still maintaining that malicious grin.

"Okay, Kairi," Selphie began, placing a hand on her hip. "We knew Sora was staying at your house for a week."

Kairi nodded.

"And we know how much you two 'fight' like cat-and-dog," Naminé air-quoted.

Kairi nodded again.

"Well, we were just wondering," Olette began. "If you two are somewhat of a couple now."

"Guys I tol-"

"Upupup!" Selphie interrupted, waving a finger. "You made a promise, remember?"

Kairi bit her lip and waited for any other information to be spoken.

"As we were saying," Yuna smiled. "We were wondering if you and Sora were a couple. And if not, would you like us to help?"

The girls looked at her, indicating that she can now unzip her lip.

"Guys, I told you once or twice before, that me and Sora have no connection like that whatsoever," Kairi said, gesturing with her hand. "Honestly, I wouldn't go near the guy with a ten-foot pole!"

Olette giggled. "Yeah, but you were hugging him outside your house!"

"Oh, Kairi Kairi Kairi, don't you know being a hypocrite is bad for a woman's elegance?" Selphie taunted.

Kairi stomped her foot, then realizing how stupid she must look for actually BEING a hypocrite and just withstood the girls' laughter.

**-B's POV**

"Okay," Sora grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets and stopping at the steps of the train station. "What are you weirdoes up to now?"

The boys took on the impression that they just finally noticed Sora was walking beside them. Slouching a bit like boys originally do, they smacked a malevolent smile on their lips and eyed him like a hawk.

"Well, since you asked," Tidus said, cocking his head a bit. "We're just interested in a few things."

"Like what?" Sora asked hurriedly.

"Like you and Kairi," Roxas answered.

Before Sora could finish his second word, a hand clasped around his mouth, refraining him from speaking a clear syllable. Riku made a silent gesture to him as his hand struggled to keep Sora's mouth shut. Sora pouted and crossed his arms, breathing through his nostrils since his mouth was being stripped of its use.

"Good," Hayner nodded with his eyes closed, and soon opened them to reveal a chocolate color. "Now that you're traps shut, we can explain without any interruptions."

"As we were saying," Roxas began, pacing a bit. "We want to know about you and Kairi."

"Ever since Riku told us of that little incident in front of Kairi's house and asking your mom if something was up with you and Kairi, we're pretty convinced," Hayner said, getting a kick out of a gagged Sora.

"Owwvvfffwha?" Sora muffled, until he was shushed by a grinning Riku again.

"Of what, you ask?" Tidus repeated for him. "Well, we're pretty convinced that you two are an item. If not, the least would be DEVELOPING into an item."

Sora flinched his eyebrows together, amazed that Tidus even knew a big word like "developing".

"Aiffftchoollllyuuuuggaaiii-"

"Hush," Riku said, tightening the force on his mouth. Sora returned to his usual pout.

"Anyway, we're considering of helping you and Kairi get together since you're so clueless on how to even say something NICE to her," Roxas offered.

Riku retreated his hand, letting his brown-headed friend gasp for air and regain his posture.

"Look, me and Kairi have NOTHING like that going on. I wouldn't even touch the woman for a million bucks!!" Sora exclaimed, making an echo in the area.

"You're such a liar," Hayner sighed, though smiling still. "Then explain to us what that was with you and Kairi in front of her house that one night."

Sora was about to say a word, when he found his logics and reasoning false. He closed his mouth back slowly, engulfing himself in the guys' spews of laughter.

**-G's POV**

"Look, I appreciate you guys looking out for me, but I'm pretty sure me and Sora don't feel that way about each other," Kairi said after their seconds of laughter.

"Then how come you guys are always so friendly with each other?" Naminé asked.

"Because were FRIENDS," Kairi said. "And ONLY friends."

"Well, I'm not convinced, even at the slightest," Selphie said, crossing her arms.

"Then what am I supposed to do to convince you guys?" Kairi asked.

"Nothing will convince us, Kairi," Olette chuckled.

"It's just THAT obvious," Yuna emphasized.

**-B's POV**

"How is it obvious???" Sora asked loudly, flailing his hands.

"Do you really want to make me go through the WHOLE bit?" Hayner said irritably.

"Yes, please," Sora angrily replied.

"Okay, how about this. The time when you and Kairi were holding hands at the train station near the beginning of the school year," Tidus said, pointing to one of his fingers.

"She was getting pushed away! I had to help her!" Sora wailed.

"Oh and, don't forget Selphie's party," Hayner added happily.

"Hey, she's the one who made me go in that closet with her!"

**-G's POV**

"And that time when we found you sleeping on the bench with him," Yuna said, putting a finger to her chin.

"But we were sleepy! You guys were taking forever in the Shopping District!" Kairi said.

"Oh, and how about that time we swam at Selphie's place? He seemed really amazed at your figure," Naminé giggled.

"That's 'cause he's a pervert with no decency!" Kairi cried.

"Then what about those times where you were jealous that Mima was always around him?" Olette asked.

"She just annoyed the heck out of me! AND I'M NOT JEALOUS!" Kairi flailed.

**-B's POV**

"Are you sure about that?" Tidus asked.

"Hell if I know! I'm not Kairi!" Sora said, raising his voice a bit.

"Well she seemed like it to me," Riku said, swaying his silver hair to the side.

"Anyway, what about you and Erol? You two seemed to be fighting over her," Roxas asked.

"Pfft, I'm not fighting over HER. The dude creeps me out," Sora huffed.

"Are you sure you aren't just jealous?" snickered Hayner.

**-G's POV**

"How would I know if he's jealous?" Kairi asked, jerking her head back a tad.

"Well, he always looks like he's in a competition with Erol. And you're the big, shiny trophy!" Selphie squealed.

"Get real, Selphie. Sora's not THAT redundant," Kairi emphasized.

"Well, then how about your guys' kiss at the park?" Yuna asked.

"We used clear tape!" Kairi said, feeling the urge to explode.

"Then how about that night with the jacket?" Selphie slyly intervened.

"We were freezing our butts off!"

**-B's POV**

"And the dumb ditz forgot her keys inside the house! We couldn't get in!" Sora pouted.

"Then why didn't you call?" Riku said, crossing his arms.

"I did! All of you guys had some lame excuse as to why we couldn't come over!" cried Sora.

"What about her mom?" Roxas asked.

"She doesn't answer her phone only after work, and she doesn't get off until real late," Sora said, toning down his volume.

"Hmmm, I'm still not convinced," Hayner said, taking another good look at Sora.

"And why's that?" Sora said through gritted teeth.

"Because whenever you're around her, you get all flushed and blush-y," Tidus said.

**-G's POV**

"Oh, and you can lose your temper quite easily with him around," giggled Yuna.

"How does that relate to 'feelings'?" Kairi asked.

"A lot! You know how the saying goes,' Even your enemies can become your loved ones'," Olette smartly informed.

"Well, I think it's a big load of bull," Kairi pouted, crossing her arms.

"Well, we think it's destiny," Selphie triumphantly said.

**-B's POV**

"Then destiny's being an ass to me," Sora grunted.

"Pfft, destiny works in mysterious ways," Tidus snickered.

"Mysterious ways, my foot! Why Kairi?" he asked loudly.

"'Cause obviously someone up there wants it to happen," Riku said, pointing to the sky.

"Well, I've got news for him or her or whoever lives up there. It's not going to happen," Sora said, shoving his hands in his pockets again.

**-G's POV**

"You sure about that?" Selphie asked suspiciously, eyeing Kairi.

"Positive. Me and Sora will NEVER, EVER be lovers. It's just a far-fetched fantasy," Kairi calmly stated.

"Hey, it could happen," Olette shrugged.

"Like I said, I doubt it," Kairi said, placing her hands on her hips.

"Okay, let's try this," Naminé began, massaging her temples. "Let's ask you a series of questions, and you MUST answer truthfully."

**-B's POV**

"Questions?" Sora repeated.

"Yep. But you have to answer them really fast," Tidus said, pointing towards the sky.

"How many?" Sora asked.

"Does it matter?" Riku intervened.

"Yes, it does," Sora answered.

"Well, too bad, we're starting," Roxas sneered.

"But-"

"Who are you?" Hayner asked.

"What? What kind of que-"

"Just answer, and answer it fast."

"Sora."

"What's your age?"

"Sixtee-"

"Gotta be faster than that. Where do you live?"

"Twilight Town."

**-G's POV**

"On which street?" Selphie hastily asked.

"First street," Kairi hastily answered.

"Next to who?"

"...Sora."

"You have to be quicker, Kairi. Who is Sora?"

"A friend."

"How do you know him?"

"From childhood."

"For how long?"

"Umm, about nine ye-"

"How did you meet?"

"Our parents intro-"

"Be faster, Kairi!

**-B's POV**

"I'm trying, damn it!"

"What was your first impression?"

"Ditzy."

"The truth, Sora."

"...Friendly."

It seemed like Sora wanted to go on, but stopped there.

"And?"

Sora let out an annoyed sigh.

"Cute," he spat.

The boys looked at each other and grinned.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you think she was cute?"

"Why do I have to an-"

"Just answer."

"Because she seemed sweet," Sora angrily grunted.

**-G's POV**

"What kinds of things did he do to make you think like that?"

"Do I really have to-"

"Yes, now answer."

"He played with me and always shared things with me. He was sweet and kind, a bit of a push-over, but considerate sometimes."

"Why did it change?"

"Because he's dumb."

"A real reason, Kairi."

"Because Mima took him away."

"What's two plus two?"

Kairi immediately lifted an eyebrow.

"Why do I need to-"

"Just answer!"

"Four!"

"Square root of sixteen."

"Four."

"Slope-intercept form."

"ymx+b."

"What's the color of the sky?"

**-B's POV**

"Blue," Sora said, not even getting the chance to wonder why the topic suddenly became random.

"What's this town called?"

"Twilight Town."

"Are you wearing underwear?"

Sora's eyebrows scrunched. "Yeah."

"Boxers or briefs?"

"Boxers."

"What's the color of your hair?"

"Brown."

"And your eyes?"

"Blue."

"How about Kairi's hair?"

"Maroon or auburn."

"What about her eyes?"

"Blue."

"What's the day tomorrow?"

"Sunday."

"Who's this?"

"Roxas."

"And who's his girlfriend?"

**-G's POV**

"Naminé."

"Who's this?"

"Olette."

"And who's her boyfriend?"

"Hayner."

**-B's POV**

"Who's Yuna?"

"Tidus's girlfriend."

"She's not my-"

**-G's POV**

"What school do you go to?"

"Sunset High."

**-B's POV**

"What's zero minus sixteen?"

"Negative sixteen."

**-G's POV**

"How did you get here?"

**-B's POV**

"I moved here."

"From where?"

**-G's POV**

"Destiny Islands."

**-G's + B's POV**

"Do you like Sora/Kairi?"

"Yes... I-I-I mean-"

**-G's POV**

The girls laughed at how cherry red Kairi's face became once answering the final question. Kairi smacked her forehead with her palm, insulting herself over and over again in her mind at how her lack of attention got the best of her.

**-B's POV**

"Sh-Shut up! I don't like Kairi!" Sora stammered, trying to shove a laughing Riku off of him.

"Wow, that was fun. Well, now that you've answered the questions, we're satisfied," Hayner said, wiping a tear from his eye.

"And what the hell were you guys supposed to get from THAT?" Sora emphasized irritably.

**-G's POV**

"Oh, we find out a LOT form that test!" Selphie laughed.

"Like WHAT?" Kairi asked, still trying to get the color out of her cheeks, but failed miserably.

"Like stuff. It's getting a bit late now, we should go home," Naminé cheerily said, leading the way home.

"Huh? It's only 1:45. And you didn't even an-"

"Quit yapping Kairi! We need to get going!" Selphie said, taking her wrist and following Naminé behind.

**-B's POV**

"Quit pushing, I'm going!" Sora whined, nudging Roxas's hand on his back.

"Yeah, and you need to go faster," said his blond cousin.

"What's the rush? You didn't even answer my que-"

"No time for that. The girls are probably waiting for us now," Hayner rashly informed, leading the way beside Tidus.

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The groups of the opposite sex met with smiles and sneers along with a very confused Sora and Kairi. Once stopping at the front of Kairi's house, the group bade the pair good-bye, even though it's quite early in the day. Sora and Kairi waved back hesitantly, then looking in each other's direction.

"Soooo, what happened to you?" Kairi asked.

"They asked me a bunch of useless questions," Sora sighed.

"Me too. I had to answer them truthfully," Kairi sighed also.

"Ditto," Sora mumbled. The cold air whooshed by, sending chills throughout their body and immediately took refuge inside the house, quickly shutting the door.

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"So," Hayner began as the group mixed of males and females followed behind him and Olette. "What did you girls find out?"

Olette smiled. "A lot. How about you guys?"

"The same!" Roxas chuckled. "Sora's a bit clueless sometimes."

"Same goes with Kairi," Naminé sighed. "She just doesn't get it."

"Even after the countless times there have been incidents," Riku droned.

"Tell me about it. They just don't see it and they keep denying it," Selphie pouted, crossing her arms.

The group now reached the train station, where the crowd was a bit less tedious.

"So, how are we going to do this?" Riku asked, leaning on a beam.

"Well, we have three chances: The festival, Sleeping Beauty, and Christmas," Olette counted.

"For now, we go with Plan A, unless Plan B is really necessary," Selphie said.

"Are you sure it's even NECESSARY to INCLUDE a Plan B?" Tidus asked.

"Yes, it is. If Plan A doesn't work, we'll switch plans," Naminé stated.

"We're all going to have to work together then," Yuna smiled, making Tidus go in shy-mode.

"Right, so, for next week, it's Operation: Festival, Plan A."

**End Chapter 25**

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A/N: So? How was it? Did you like it? xD When I'm asked questions really hyper fast and answer it quickly, I tend to tell the truth, sooo, I decided to use it in here! Anyway, Sora's parents come home tomorrow! Stay updated for the next chapter! Please review and thanks for reading! C8


	26. Don't Worry

A/N: Hey guys! D8 Sorry for the unbelievably late update! I have a job now, so things are starting to get even busier! Dx But I hope this chapter will suffice for now. And I also want to thank you guys for so many reviews! 8D It's like my first story ever on this site, and it's doing really well! (bows a bazillion times) Anyway, enough of my rambling! I hope you guys enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 26**

**Ding Dong!**

"Oh, good morning Sora! Did your folks settle in well yesterday?"

Sora nodded quietly. "They were glad to be home. Did you talk to them yet?"

Kairi's mother shook her head. "No, not yet, but I have an urgent matter to discuss with them today. I'll be sure to come over."

Sora nodded again and was about to say something else, when Kairi sleepily walked through the door, bading her mother good-bye with sleepy eyes.

"Goodness, Kairi. How long did you stay up last night?" her mother asked.

"Until 12. I forgot to do an essay," Kairi hazily responded.

Her mother shook her head. "Well, take it easy today then. I don't want Sora having to piggy-back ride you like last time."

Sora spared Kairi a last glance before walking into the chilly Monday morning to school, where a dreaded thing called "homework" was assigned daily. The town was busy and hard-working as usual, with its usual citizens and the clock tower basking in the sunray's early light. The sky showed signs of a good, but again, windy day with the usual coldness blowing in a slow mile. With a bored look and the lack of yearning to learn, he walked slowly with his hands in his pockets beside Kairi, who looked as though she'd drop dead any minute. He rolled his eyes and decides to start a conversation while taking an interest in a random object. In this case, he chose the signs plastered upon the walls.

"Geez, you just HAVE to be a straight-A student, don't you," he mocked broodly.

"Shut it. I'm not in the mood to deal with you," she angrily mumbled.

"When are you ever?" asked Sora boredly.

Ignoring his snide attitude, Kairi walked on miserably as her tiny bit of energy chipped away slowly with each step toward the train station. Sora merely watched her with a "slightly" worried expression, hoping that she at least remembers how to walk properly. Kairi slipped a big yawn and rubbed her eyes of tears, trying to regain focus as the train station came into view. The two walked up the steps and into the packed car speeding to Sunset Hill, with no idea of what awaited the two today.

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The doorbell rang loudly throughout the house, signaling the man of the household to answer it while his wife watched him go. The door swung open to reveal Kairi's mother, along with a box of baked treats.

"Ah, good morning!" greeted Sora's father, letting her come in.

"Good morning," smiled Kairi's mother. "How was the trip?"

"It was relaxing. Just what we needed!" Sora's mother squealed happily as the auburn mother took her place on the lone couch.

"Indeed! I never thought my back could bend that way after that massage," joked Sora's father.

Kairi spared a chuckle and set the treats down on the table.

"I was wondering," she began. "If you two are still deciding on whether or not Kairi-"

"Oh no no no, hun!" squealed Sora's mother. "We've decided that right when you asked!"

"That's right!" Sora's father agreed. "We aren't bothered a single bit! We'd love to have her stay for a week! After all, it's the least we could do for you when you looked after our son for a week."

Her auburn head nodded slowly. "I see. I can't thank you both enough."

Sora's mother pasted a smile upon her face. "Although, don't you think you should've told Kairi before hand?"

Kairi's mother's smile waned slowly. "I'm afraid she'll be angry with me if I tell her we only could get one ticket."

"But that ticket is to see your husband across seas, right?" Sora's father asked.

"Yes, and that is also what I'm afraid of," Kairi's mother added. "I'm afraid my daughter will be angry if I don't bring her along..."

Sora's mother smiled faintly. "Oh come now. If she went alone, who knows what could happen to her!"

"That's right! Something terrible!" Sora's father announced quite unexpectedly.

The auburn mother chuckled at the brunette couple and gave a warm smile. "Alright. I'll tell her tonight, before I leave."

The two nodded. "We'll also explain to her if she decides to get angry."

The three got up and walked over to the front door, giving last minute farewells after the front door was shut and locked securely.

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"Hey, ditz."

"...No thank you. I'm... too full to eat... another bite..."

"Kairi, wake up!"

Kairi jolted up, looking around frantically too make sure she wasn't surrounded by mountains of ice cream and little pudgy kids who were trying to force her to eat a scoop of vanilla. Instead, there were mountains of people shuffling out of the tram. The spiky brunette next to her stood up quickly, looking down at her.

"Is food all you can dream about?" Sora asked rudely.

Kairi ignored, standing up slowly and walking out into the chilly air of Sunset Hill. Sora followed behind, trying to mentally slap himself silly for letting her sleep on his shoulder during the train ride and covered his redden cheeks with his broad shoulders. Their jackets didn't seem to be helping as the temperature continued to drop each day with the upcoming month. Their breaths were as white as the clouds above and their eyes stung with cold breeze. Sora shivered a bit as he exhaled a large puff of warm air. Kairi sleepily looked at him and began drifting in her thoughts.

_Maybe I should start thinking about what to get him for a present._

Kairi faced forward, watching the scenery before her change.

_A scarf? I could make one._

Sora side-glanced her, wondering if she even noticed.

_No, that's too cliché. _

"Hey, you there?" he asked.

_How about a new jacket? I don't even know what kind of brands he likes._

"Ditz, watch out for that pole."

_Maybe I could cook or-_

**Bonk!**

Kairi cringed in pain as she held her forehead with closed eyes bearing tears. "Ouucchh..."

"I told you to watch out. You were probably dreaming of food again," Sora huffed.

She rubbed the sore spot irritably as she felt the pain surge through her head. Sora rolled his eyes and shook his head simultaneously.

"Don't do that," Sora said, seizing her hand and pulling it away form her face. "It'll just make it even redder."

Kairi jerked her hand out of his, pouting sleepily. "I know that."

"Sure you do," Sora agreed boredly. "let's get going or we'll be late."

The two trotted on the cobblestone path passing by people, familiar and unfamiliar alike and preceded through the black gates of the school, wanting to get this day over with. The school's heating systems seemed to be out of order, making the building a giant glacier of students and teachers. The sun overhead did little to warm the freezing students as they progressed to their next class. Sora grumpily trudged to his locker at the end of the hallway, cursing his algebra teacher for making them carry that godforsaken rock called a "book" everyday to class. He already had too much on his mind, so why have this useless stack of bound paper drag him down even further? Once making a successful grab for the lock he hastily inserted the combination and tossed the heavy book inside without a care and slammed it shut, cheering inside that he doesn't have any homework from algebra tonight. Before he could make a step to his next class, a gentle tap interrupted his route. He turned slowly to find a pack of giggling girls who looked younger than he was.

_Freshmen..._

"Uh, hi," he said, wishing he could say something more than that.

"Hi Sora," said the triumphant-looking girl in front. "You may not know me, but I was wondering if I could ask you a question."

Sora thought for a split second and answered," Sure." Class wouldn't start for another five minutes anyway.

"I-Er-We were wondering what kinds of things you like," she corrected herself.

Sora lifted a brow, not sure how to interpret the question. "Um, why?"

The girls started giggling again. "No reason, we would just like to know."

Sora could've sworn he saw a swarm of red swell in their faces.

"Um, well, I like all sorts of things. I don't really have a favorite," he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.

The leader pouted innocently and put her hands together as if she were praying. "Oh come on, there must be SOMETHING."

"Um, well, actually," Sora trailed off, thinking of what his most favorite thing IS. He looked around for some help, when he noticed a certain auburn girl sleepily heading off to her next class.

"Kairi?" Sora asked, wondering why she's walking like a drunkard.

The girls' expressions were a mix of confusion. "Kairi's your favorite?"

Sora jerked his head back, shaking it feverishly. "N-No! That's not what I- anyway, I'll see you girls later. I have to talk to someone really quick."

He rushed past the group of females and over to a swaggering Kairi who was about to make her way down the stairs. Sora placed a hand on her shoulder, making her acknowledge his presence. She turned, looking more sleepy and miserable as ever.

"Hey, are you sure you're gunna be okay?" Sora asked, slightly tightening his grip on her shoulder.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'll be okay..."

Sora grunted, making a trip around her and blocking her from moving another step.

"No, you're not," he said, making sure he was directly in front of her. "I'm taking you to the nurse, whether you like it or not."

Kairi scowled with her dreamy face. "Look, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

Sora still didn't move, having the same scowl plastered on his face and having his hand on the rail just in case she tried to pass beside him. Being as stubborn as she was, Kairi still decided to go on. Without even thinking, her foot made an unexpecting slide on the step, sending her to fall forward. Sora eyes went wide and soon, everything was a blur until he focused clearly and found himself on the top of the second set of stairs on his back.

"Ow, shit!" she cried, covering his forehead as the pain started mixing in that region. He squinted down at the weight holding him to the ground when his pain quickly went down the drain. He could clearly feel Kairi's cheek against his chest with the rest of her body in between his legs. The students gave a strange look to the couple as they passed up and down the stairs, whispering secretly at the scenario. Kairi soon began to wake up, rising from Sora's chest and looking around dizzily.

"Wh-What... Ow..." she mumbled, rubbing her forehead like this morning. From what Sora could see, Kairi must have collided with him on the head after she slipped on the first step.

"Geez," he irritably said, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head. "You're so damn ditzy."

Kairi supported herself on her knees and resumed rubbing her forehead.

"Sorry..." she quietly apologized.

Sora sighed and seized her hand again. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop doing that? It'll only make it worse."

Kairi's unfocused eyes traveled from his chest into his sky-blue eyes. Like a simple spell with unbelievable powers, Sora was immediately drawn into her glistening blue eyes. It was as if the two were trying to find something through those delicate pair of eyes. Sora found his small, faint reflection looking back at him within her beautiful pair orbs. Kairi also found herself looking back dreamily in his calm sight. Bewitched was all that described the pair, when all of a sudden, a slight "ahem" snapped the two out of the trance. The two immediately looked up at the source of sound and found none other than Riku, grinning widely.

"Well well well, what have we here?" he said, bending down to about their height.

Kairi and Sora looked at each other, and then retreated in opposite ways and staggering up to deflect anymore weird stares.

"Hahaha, you guys are a riot," Riku joked loudly, slapping Sora and Kairi on the back.

"I-It's not what it looks like!" Sora stammered. "Kairi slipped on the step of the stairs and fell on me."

Riku nodded unconvincingly," Uh-huh. Okay. Right."

"It's true," Kairi cried quietly. "I lost my balance 'cause I'm a bit sleepy."

"So that's why you were nodding off in history," Riku laughed, ruffling her hair.

Kairi lazily straightened and out-of-place hairs Riku recklessly placed. "Yeah... But I'll be okay. Just lunch and another period."

"Pfft, yeah right! You friggin' fell down the stairs!" Sora argued.

"On Sora, no less!" Riku sarcastically cried and soon reconsidered when Sora roughly punched his arm.

Kairi shook her head. "Look guys, I'm fine. Don't worry about it. Now I've got to get to class now. I'll see ya- Hey!!"

"Just shut up and follow me," Sora grumbled while having his hand wrapped around her wrist.

Riku snickered loudly and called," Don't get caught makin' out in front of the deans now!"

"Shut up and go to class!" Sora angrily shouted. Riku's hoarse laughing could be heard trialing away as he lead Kairi down the steps and out onto the cold campus. If there was one thing Sora's face resembled, it was a very healthy looking tomato. Kairi, on the other hand, looked like an angry strawberry, struggling from his grasp.

"Sora, let go! I told you, I'm fine!" she wailed, trying to thrust her arm from his grasp and ignoring aggravated girls.

"Like hell you are. If someone doesn't look after you, you're gunna wind up in the school dumpster," Sora replied irritably.

"Grrr," Kairi growled. "I'm NOT a CHILD!"

Sora continued to drag Kairi onto the Nurse's Office, which were only a few meters away. "Yes, I know that."

"Then let me go!" she whined applying pressure from her feet to the floor, making it even harder to drag her.

"Quit being stubborn and let's go! I'm already late as it is!" Sora said, pulling even harder on her wrist.

"Then why did you even bother taking me?" Kairi angrily scowled.

"Because I'm worried about you!" he answered immediately. Kairi paused for a moment, then stopped against the struggle looking the other way.

_You're... worried about me...?_

"I-I told you, I'm... okay," she calmly said.

Sora looked at her, wondering why she won't face his general direction. "Tell me that when you come out of the Nurse's Office. Come on."

Sora didn't let her have the last response and continued to pull, but this time, he felt no resistance as he held her wrist. He looked back slightly, seeing her head hung low and shielding her eyes as she willingly let him pull. He could've sworn he saw a shade of pink line her face but soon ignored it when he reached for the door knob of the oak door. He opened it slowly to reveal a stern looking man with dark hair in a low ponytail and round spectacles holding a small clipboard. His narrow eyes fell upon the couple and his smug expression only fell uglier.

"Can I help you?" he asked grimly.

Sora shivered a bit and relied on the warmth he got from Kairi's petite hands. "U-Um, I'm just escorting her here."

Kairi poked her head behind Sora and made herself fully visible with a timid wave.

"What seems to be the problem?" he asked, getting up to display his height.

Sora's shoulders lifted a bit. "U-Um, I was wondering if she could rest here for about ten minutes. She didn't get much sleep last night."

The "nurse" walked over swiftly next to Sora and peered down from his glasses at an intimidated Kairi.

"Hm, have to have your little boyfriend speak for you?" he asked crossly.

Kairi shivered a bit at his voice and clung onto Sora's shirt. "U-Um, I-I was, just..."

"What's your name?" he interrupted, holding his clipboard before him and preparing to write.

"K-Kairi," she stammered, not wanting to let go of Sora.

The "nurse" scribbled it down vigorously and stared at the two.

"My name is Dr. Hojo. I suppose this is your first time?" he asked.

Kairi nodded, Sora gulped.

"Alright," Dr. Hojo said. "Go and lay down. I'll wake you up in ten minutes. You, boy, come with me."

Kairi felt relieved that she didn't have to go in alone, and followed after her brunette companion into the intimidating white room. Kairi's eyes lay upon the stiff looking bed against the wall and sat on it, keeping her eyes on Sora and Dr. Hojo.

"What's your name?" Dr. Hojo demanded.

"Uh, Sora sir," he replied stiffly.

Hojo scribbled it down on a blue slip for his tardy excuse.

"Stand at ease, soldier. I'm not a general officer," he joked, even though it wasn't funny at all. It was more like intimidating.

"Er, right," he laughed nervously, trying to ease the mood in the room.

Dr. Hojo ripped the slip and handed it to him almost forcibly and looked to Kairi.

"Go ahead and get to sleep. You, Sora, go to class."

Sora looked to Kairi one last time before going out of the door. Kairi laid herself down and listened to Sora's footsteps fade away as her eyes closed in a very deep sleep.

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"Yo, Sora!"

Sora turned to see Hayner, Riku and Tidus. The first to approach was Tidus, who playfully slapped him on the back.

"What's up, dude?" he asked cheerfully.

"Nothing," he sighed. "Just gunna see how Kairi's doing before I go to my last period."

Riku sneered, but kept his mouth shut.

Hayner lifted a brow, trying to prevent a smile coming onto his lips. "Uhhh, why would you do that?"

Sora already knew what was coming and just kept walking. "Um, nothing, I'll see you guys later."

But of course, his friends wouldn't allow that.

"Did something happen to her?" Tidus asked walking alongside Riku.

Sora sighed at their persistence. "She was just sleepy and needed rest. She's in the Nurse's Office."

"Geez, I thought you two were sneakin' off behind our backs or somethin'! Why couldn't you have said that?" Hayner asked, feeling a bit hurt that his friend refrained from telling the truth the first time.

"Because I know you guys are gunna make something out of it," he broodly answered.

"Haha, oh yeah, right," Tidus laughed.

Sora looked at his silver-haired friend who hasn't spoken a word since they met and put on a suspicious expression.

"What's with the face?" Riku asked, trying not to grin.

"How come you aren't saying a word?" Sora asked.

Riku thought for a moment. "'Caauuussseeeee, I have nothing to say?"

"Pfft, yeah right. I'm surprised you haven't blabbed it to these guys yet," Sora said, looking forward again.

"Hey, be grateful that they're not pestering you like I would," Riku jeered.

"Hold on. Tell us what, Riku?" Hayner asked.

"Yeah, what?" Tidus added.

Riku side-glanced Sora. "Should I tell them?"

Sora sighed. "Fine. Whatever."

Riku lagged behind a bit, dragging Tidus and Hayner along with him to make sure they kept their distance from their caramel-headed friend. Sora ignored the light whispering Riku gave off and reached for the silver handle on the door and opened it. There he saw Dr. Hojo, who was previously taking notes down until his eyes reverted to him. From the corner of his eye, Kairi laid on the bed fast asleep. Wait, asleep?

_Dr. Hojo should've woken her up half an hour ago..._

"Sora, right?" Dr. Hojo spoke.

Sora nodded. "I thought Kairi'd be awake a long time ago."

Hojo sighed and pushed his spectacles up higher on the bridge of his nose. "Her exhaustion's overwhelming. No matter what I do, she won't wake up."

Sora looked at the peaceful Kairi turn in her sleep.

"What have you tried?" Sora asked.

Dr. Hojo looked at her also. "Nudging and yelling."

Sora sighed and went over to her. "You mind if I try?"

Dr. Hojo nodded," As long as you don't try anything funny."

Riku, Hayner, and Tidus poked their heads through the door, wondering what's happening while they had their little story-time and watched as Sora cleared his throat at the foot of the bed Kairi slept on. He bent over slightly, making sure he's not so close that she'll knock him unconscious with her head again.

"Ditz," said Sora robotically.

"What'd you say?!" Kairi yelled, clenching Sora's collar now wide awake.

Dr. Hojo lifted his brows in amazement. "Well, never would've thought of that..."

"Works every time," Sora said nonchalantly as Kairi blinked awake and looking at her surroundings. Well, it didn't work EVERYTIME, but it worked this morning, right? In the hallway, Sora's ears picked up the sounds of held back laughter.

"You awake now?" Sora asked while inspecting for any signs of sleepiness in her eyes.

Kairi yawned," A little. But I feel much better now."

Sora sighed, when Kairi's eyes went big and she jolted from the bed. "How long have I been sleeping?!"

"Calm down, Kairi," Dr. Hojo said. "You only slept through your lunch period."

Kairi immediately calmed down. "Oh, I see."

Sora shook his head at her perseverance of maintaining her GPA. "Okay, well, now that you're all better, go and get to class before you're late."

Kairi looked at him go out the door, feeling a warm sensation churn inside. She mistook it for hunger since she skipped out on lunch and bowed to Dr. Hojo. "I apologize for the inconvenience, Doctor. And thank you."

"Don't say it to me," Dr. Hojo scoffed while taking notes. "Tell that to your boyfriend over there."

Kairi quickly went red and shook her head quickly. "H-He's not my-"

"Kairi, hurry it up!" yelled Hayner. "We'll be late!"

"Coming! Well, anyway, thank you," she said and sped out of the room after her friends. Dr. Hojo let out a single chuckle after scribbling down the clock-out time of Kairi.

_Kids..._

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After a painful five minutes of torture from the boys, Sora and Kairi went their separate ways and onto their next class. It zipped by quickly, now that stress was off both of their shoulders and the final bell resonated throughout the campus. Sora waited by the dead and frozen tree as usual and ignored the cold wind rushing through. Kairi walked through the double-doors and stepped carefully down the steps over to her awaited companion.

"Did you wait long?" she asked, regaining a bit of her breath.

"Not really," Sora answered. "Come on, I'm freezing my butt off."

Kairi nodded and followed suit. Indeed, it WAS freezing! The two wished that the sun wouldn't go down just yet since its sunlight started to fade away over the ocean. The train station was packed, though it did help in giving off body heat and the pair weren't so cold. After arriving near the Shopping Districts, the two walked on home, though the silence made Kairi uncomfortable. But why?

_Maybe I should thank him and apologize. After all, he DID bring me to the Nurse's Office... Against my will..._

Kairi huffed at the last part of her thought and looked at Sora, who had a stern expression upon his face.

"Hey, Sora?" she began.

"Hm?" he responded.

"Um, I just wanna say, thanks for earlier, and sorry for putting you through the trouble," she continued.

All of a sudden, Sora didn't feel so cold anymore.

_Why the hell does my stomach always have weird feelings when she talks?!_

"Don't worry about it," said Sora.

"I tell you all the time, and you STILL go against my words," Kairi scoffed.

"Yeah, so?" he asked mockingly.

Kairi sighed and decided to drop it. "Never mind..."

"Hey, it's not like you don't do it either," Sora said, trying to be fair.

"Yeah yeah," Kairi went on boredly.

Sora sighed and continued on through the streelit sidewalk and turning onto their street. After successfully walking her to her house, Sora went into his own, basking in the warm emitting from the heater inside. Kairi did likewise as she removed her shoes at the front door and caught sight of her mother cleaning in the kitchen.

"Hi mom," she greeted before going upstairs.

"Oh, hello Kairi," she greeted back.

Kairi noticed a few luggages scattered across the room.

"Is someone here?" Kairi asked, looking around for an unfamiliar face.

"Oh, no, these are my luggage," her mother nervously spoke.

Kairi tilted her head slightly. "Where are you going?"

The female adult settled the brown down and tried her best to not offend her daughter.

"Could you come here for a moment? I'd like to speak with you," her mother courteously asked.

Kairi obeyed and pulled up a chair, wondering what her mother would tell her in the next few seconds.

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A/N: SO? How was it? Did you like it? 8D Yeah yeah, I know it's a bit typical of the staircase thing, but I always liked those kinds of things! xD Uh oh, I wonder how Kairi's going to respond to her mother's message! Chapter 27 will be up soon! Thanks a bunches for reading!! C8


	27. Invisible Connection

A/N: Hey guys! Yeah, since my tablet isn't working and I can only do pictures with a mouse, I'm reduced to writing. But don't expect another quick update! Dx Sorry to let some of you down. Anyway, about the **Don't Expect A Tip** story, I deleted it because 1.) I thought it was too rushed and is in need of plot changes and 2.) It just sounded too boring and too much like this story. xD So there! Anyway, enough of my ramblings, enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 27**

The night was icy, chilly, and all of those fancy terms associated with the word "cold". Only the crickets seemed to be stirring as the lamp posts illuminated everything within its radius in a mysterious hue of yellow. The stars twinkled so brightly that you could pick them one by one from the sky. The clouds scattered across the vast, dark plane and enshrouded the moon on occasions as the wind pulled it onwards to the west. Twilight Town glittered brightly from the windows of homes. The families inside either had the fire going or were spending time with each other in front of the television. Ah... It was peaceful. So very pea-

"WHAT??!!"

The motherly figure shushed Kairi hastily and looked around feverishly to see if anyone had awoken or were disturbed by the ghastly wail.

"Kairi, please. Bear with me here," pleaded the mother.

"But mom!! Sora already stayed her last week! How come I have to be punished?! AGAIN?!" Kairi emphasized a little quieter this time.

"Please, Kairi. Sora's stay was no punishment. And believe me, if I wanted to punish you, it'd be something much worse," her mother insisted. "But punishment is not the case."

Kairi leaned over the table. " Then what is it? Why are you going away for a week?"

Her mother bit her lip and hesitated for a few moments, hoping that she would understand.

"Kairi, I'm going away to see your father for the week," she finally announced.

Kairi looked at her. "How come I can't go with you?"

The auburn-headed mother let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry Kairi. It was a real struggle to try and buy two, but there was only one left. I was a bit lucky, since I claimed it right before this couple."

Kairi nodded slowly.

"Anyway, the tickets are gone. When the new ones come in, the price will be higher, and I won't be able to afford them in time before the departure."

Kairi nodded again. Her mother looked into her own eyes with guilt and sorrow, pleading for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry, Kairi. If you go alone, something might happen to you," she finally said, clutching the ticket tight in her delicate fingers.

To her mother's surprise, Kairi leaned back smiling and shook her head. "No, it's okay mom. I understand. You're pretty lucky to swipe that ticket before anyone else had the chance! Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"

"I thought you'd be angry with me," her mother confessed. "So I thought it better to wait until then."

Kairi scratched the back of her head. "Well, it did shock me there for a second, but now I fully understand it all. Don't worry mom, I'm not mad at all!"

Still, her mother looked back at her in agony. "Sweety, are you sure?"

Kairi nodded confidently. "Positive. Oh! Could you do me a favor mom?"

"Sure," her mother responded as she watched her daughter dash up the stairs and come back with a tiny box tied with a skinny string. A large sticker appeared at the top right corner of the box, bearing the words "To Dad". Kairi handed it to her mother with care.

"Could you give these to dad for me? You know, the letters you proof-read and the gifts you bought for me to give to dad?"

Motherly hands took it gently and placed it on her lap. Her worn blue eyes scanned the exterior's lovely texture and the delicately tied string on the front.

"Sure hun," answered Kairi's mother. "I'll be sure he reads every one of them."

Kairi smiled warmly and wrapped her thin arms around her mother, cherishing the time left before packing up and going over next door.

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"Dude! No fair! That's cheating!" cried Roxas as he hastily jiggled the controller.

"It's not my fault you suck at Super Smash Brothers," Riku huffed as he kept a determined look on his face.

"That's 'cause Starfox is a cheap character," Sora muttered while focusing intently on the television.

"I wouldn't be talking," Riku intervened while keeping his aquamarine eyes on the screen. "You use that damn red plunger guy. That's the cheapest character in the entire character pick."

"It's a Mario," Sora corrected. "And he's way better than Starfox will ever be."

Roxas sighed as he watched his own character, Link, smash the two out of the ring, claiming his victory. Riku's jaw dropped, then glared at Roxas.

"How'd you do that?" Riku asked unbelievably.

"With skills, friend," Roxas said rolling his eyes.

"Damn that Link," Sora cursed under his breath, watching the result screen roll up. In the colorful background, Mario and Starfox were applauding the Link who did a super cool pose. Roxas sighed and held his controller with one hand while looking at his cousin.

"So, what now?" he asked.

Sora settled the complex device down at leaned against the bed. "Beats me. That was the tenth round so far. Riku won most of 'em."

"Wanna play Mario Kart?" Riku suggested as he laid himself on the floor.

"No, you win at that too," Roxas replied.

"Then what are we supposed to do-"

**Clank!**

The boys turned their attention toward the source, which was Sora's window. Sora sighed and heaved himself onto his bed, drawing the blinds back and sliding the transparent barrier to let in some cold air. Across the distance was Kairi, who was leaning on the sill with a bunch of pebbles in her hand.

"You need something?" Sora asked, leaning his elbow against the sill also. Roxas and Riku waved to her while Sora wasn't looking. Kairi smiled back as a greeting to them, then put on her normal face for Sora.

"I suppose your mom and dad didn't tell you?" Kairi asked, dropping the pebbles below.

"Tell me what?" Sora asked in a tone of interest.

Kairi sighed. "I'll tell you when me and my mom get over there."

"Kairi!! Come down now! It's time to leave!" cried Kairi's mother's voice.

"Coming!" cried the auburn adolescent. "I'll be over there in a second."

With a shut of the window, a draw of the blinds and the flick of her light switch, Sora saw her silhouette disappear and the front door of their house open, spilling a rectangular light onto the porch. Roxas and Riku peered over also, wondering what's going on.

"Something happen?" Roxas asked, seeing Kairi's mother drag a few luggage out the door.

"Dunno," Sora shrugged, watching as well.

"I hope she brought food," Riku said, rubbing his empty stomach.

The three kept an eye on the auburn couple, as they made their way over to Sora's front door with heavy luggage and backpacks in a matter of five minutes.

**Ding Dong!**

The three boys hopped off the bed and trumped downstairs, where Sora's parents opened to the door to welcome their next-door neighbors in, along with the cold rush of gust.

"Ah, good evening!" greeted Sora's father.

Sora noticed that only Kairi came in, and with her school bag and a large white backpack.

"Kairi, I want you to be good, okay?" asked the mother.

Kairi nodded. "Yes mom, I promise."

Roxas and Riku looked at Sora.

"What's going on here?" Roxas whispered in his ear.

Sora shrugged, watching the scenario go on.

"Have a great time, mom! Say hi to daddy for me, okay?" Kairi bellowed.

Under the illuminated light of the street lamp, her mother waved good-bye before getting into the taxi and speeding off toward the airport. Sora's parents waved along with Kairi as the taxi turned a street and disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind a zooming sound of the engine. Sora's father shut the door and turned the lock while looking at the new guest.

"Well Kairi, make yourself at home!" he greeted warmly.

Kairi nodded. "I will, thank you for letting me stay here for a week."

"Come, deary. I'll show you to your temporary room," Sora's mother offered and led the way to the stairs where the boys gathered there.

"Boys, will you get the kitchen table set?" she asked while confronting her son and his friends. The three nodded and immediately went to the kitchen after waving giddily to Kairi. Letting a giggle slip, she followed her temporary guardian up the stairs and into the guest bedroom, where the plain walls were simply decorated with small paintings and a mirror-desk against the wall. The bed lay neatly in the middle of everything while the closet remained open for Kairi to put in her things. Kairi set her things down, looking around the room and contemplating where her stuff will rest for the week.

"Please help yourself. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. I'll call when it's time," she informed sweetly.

Kairi nodded and kept a smile upon her graceful lips. "Yes, thank you so much. Do you need any help?"

The mother shook her head. "No thank you, deary. Thanks for asking. Go ahead and get unpacked, I'll call for you and the boys later."

Kairi nodded and unzipped her bag as the door to her room shut gently from behind. Settling a few things here and there, Kairi began assembling her clothes and uniforms into the open closet when the door bursted open to reveal Roxas and Riku dive bombing the bed.

"Yo Kairi!" Roxas greeted as he laid flat on his stomach.

Kairi giggled cutely, watching her two friends sprawled on her not-so-neat-anymore bed.

"Hey guys! What's up?"

Sora trudged himself into the room and leaned against the wall, seeing as there was no space for his rump to rest on the bed.

"We're just hanging out with Sora today since there's no homework," Riku answered, getting cozy on one of the fluffy pillows.

"No homework," Sora said. "On a Monday. Can you believe it?"

Kairi neatly stacked her jeans onto the floor in the closet and extracted a few hangers from the wooden pole.

"Not really. I'd think you'd be having trouble with Algebra again and coming to me for help," Kairi answered pulling a few shirts out of her bag and pulling them onto multi-colored hangers.

"Nyeh," Sora growled, sticking out his tongue. "Just 'cause your little miss "oh my gawd i have straight A's and Sora doesn't" doesn't mean you get the last laugh."

Kairi rolled her eyes and continued her activity. "Yeah, right, okay."

Roxas sighed, feeling the comfort from under his stomach. "Same old Kairi and Sora."

Riku nodded slowly, closing his eyes. "You two'll never change."

"Don't tell that to me," Kairi casually said while walking over to hang another shirt. "Tell it to Mr. Spikes over here."

"Oh no you don't," Sora intervened. "You're the one with the issues."

"Am not!" Kairi squealed, standing up. "You're the one who always has a problem with ME!"

Riku and Roxas looked at each other, then back at the quarrel.

"No, it's the other way around, ditz!" Sora growled.

"I told you to stop calling me that, idiot!" Kairi snapped.

"Ditz ditz ditz! I'll say it as much as I want, ditz!"

"You're a pig-headed jerk, you know that?"

"And you're a tomboyish klutz."

"Great, now that that's settled, shut up."

"Pfft, who are you, my mother?"

"No, but she's downstairs. I can tell her anything, and you'll be in big trouble."

"Psh, momma's girl..."

**Thwack!**

"Ow!!" Sora hollered as he bore the bruise on his head where the empty back pack collided. Kairi retreated her empty sack and tossed it aside next to the small lamp.

"That's what you get for being stupid," Kairi scoffed while walking over to the mirror. She did a quick check of her complexion, when, Sora appeared behind her and snatched her cheeks.

"Yeah? Well this is what you get for abusing me," Sora snickered, stretching her cheeks back and forth. Riku and Roxas started laughing as Kairi's face in the reflection started making hilarious forms.

"Ow ow ow!! Wet Gwoohh (Let go)!!!" Kairi cried trying to remove Sora's pinched fingers away from her face.

Sora let go and snickered at her pain. "Serves you right."

The auburn's eyes became fierce as she twisted around and began driving her fingernails into his clutched wrists.

"Agh!! Ow ow ow! Let go of me, you cat!" Sora wailed, trying to pull away.

Riku and Roxas quickly moved out of the bed, for Sora was directly in front of it.

"Serves you right for- Whoa!!"

After a tremendous pull forward, a big blur of the room zoomed in her eyes, and she found herself wrestling the brunette on the bed.

"Get off me, Godzilla!" Sora snarled.

Kairi growled loudly and placed her hands on his tender cheeks, giving the same punishment back.

"Not until you suffer!" Kairi evilly said, pulling inward, then outward.

Roxas and Riku watched on the side, snickering to each other at the position the two were in. Literally.

Sora managed to rid Kairi's little fingers off of his pained cheeks.

"Hah! Not so tough now, are you?" he said triumphantly, tightly clutching her small hands.

Kairi tried resisting against his will and stubbornly pushed forward, trying to cancel his strength out. "I hate you!"

"Yeah? So do I!" Sora fought, sticking out a tongue.

"You think they'll stop anytime soon?" Roxas quietly asked as to not disturb their quarrel.

"Nah," Riku replied. "Not with the way they're acting."

Kairi still tried resisting against Sora's hands. Sora struggled, trying to not let the sweat on his palms make an advantage to Kairi. Kairi soon slipped free form his grasp, but unaware of the amount of force she was exerting, sent her speeding toward his face. Sora's went wide and acted on instinct to stop her from slamming her face into his with his large hands grasping her shoulders. Her blue eyes opened to be staring right into Sora's and their faces to be just centimeters apart. Kairi's goal was to grab a hold of his cheeks again, and she got 'em alright, but in a more gentle and intimate sort of way. Sora felt his heart thump so fast that he couldn't say a thing or react, and neither did Kairi. It was as if he lost all nerve in the hands that were holding her petite shoulders, and for unknown reasons, felt the sudden urge to draw her closer. Riku and Roxas stood there agape at each other, than at the scene playing before them.

**Knock knock knock!**

"Kairi? Are the boys in there with you?" Sora's mother called from behind the door.

The connection of intimate staring ended as soon as they heard the mature female voice and scrambled off of each other, trying to not look suspicious with red hues glowing in their faces. Kairi cleared her throat and straightened her shirt before opening the door to Sora's mother. She peeked around Kairi's room, to make sure nothing "abnormal" was happening. Riku and Roxas quickly got back into their positions on the bed, improvising with Sora's new spot and acted innocent as a young adolescent could be.

"What's going on in here? I thought I heard screaming and fighting," Kairi's mother said making sure no damages were taken in the room.

"Ah, sorry. Me and Sora were just having another argument again," Kairi laughed nervously. Sora lay back with an annoyed look on his face at the end of the bed while keeping his eyes closed.

"She's the one who started it," Sora huffed.

Riku and Roxas laughed a little too awkwardly, attempting to add to the innocent atmosphere.

"Well, dinner's ready. You all can come down now," she informed and made her way downstairs. Kairi looked back at the guys, hanging her head a bit low and averting any eye contact.

"L-Let's go! I'm starved!" Kairi announced and hastily followed after. Riku and Roxas couldn't keep in their chuckles and kept eyeing Sora who stood up and swiped his shirt for any dust. He threw them a pout after they let out a holler of laughter.

"Oh my god!! That was the corniest thing I ever saw!" Riku cried, clutching his stomach.

"Pfft!!! Dude, you should've seen your face, cousin!!" Roxas yelled wiping tears from his squinted eyes.

"Sh-Shut your faces!" stammered Sora. "She's the one who was on top!"

There was a pause, then Riku and Roxas practically killed themselves on Kairi's bed from laughing way too hard. Sora realized how WRONG he worded that sentence and just stomped off downstairs, leaving them to follow after.

The dinner was a typical family dinner along with some friends. Topics like school, parents and relationships arose and would end up in a comedic tone. Usually it would be Sora or Kairi getting teased. The food was delicious and juicy, causing the plates to go clean and the rice cooker to be filled up once again by tomorrow. The time zipped by quickly with all the fun that was happening, and Roxas and Riku had to go home, so said by their parents. They bade farewell and went on their way into the cold night, leaving Sora and Kairi with the brunette parents. With a sleepy yawn and a stretch, the four retired to their rooms, well, except for Sora and Kairi that is. Kairi finished the last of her clothes and settled accessories upon the smooth dresser while checking her bag for any other things. All that was left was her toothbrush and toothpaste.

_Better brush. I don't want yucky morning breath tomorrow..._

Kairi rummaged for the two items and brushed through the doorway and into the small bathroom. It was clean and well kept, along with a fresh scent of lemons lingering inside. After settling her things down, she let the water run through her hands and cupped a handful of water into her mouth. After applying toothpaste onto the bristles of her toothbrush, she began brushing while white foam began to bubble around her mouth. Loud pounding noise came from behind, indicating that someone was approaching. Kairi peeked up at the mirror before, seeing Sora's smug expression in the back behind her.

"Move over," he demanded, rinsing his brush. He repeated Kairi's process and began brushing vigorously. After a good two minutes of brushing, Kairi spat out the foam and began rinsing her mouth. Sora let out a snicker and looked the other way as soon as Kairi glared at him.

"What?" Kairi asked irritably.

"Noffing (Nothing). You jfuust flook fike you haff frabbie (You just look like you have rabies)," he muffled through white foam.

"Yeah," Kairi said after rinsing her mouth with cold water. "So do you. You look like a rampant dog. Hey!!"

Sora deliberately shoved next to Kairi to spit out the foamy paste in the sink. After his mouth was clean of any minty bubbles, he wiped his mouth with his wet hand to remove any excess toothpaste.

"You talk too much. Go to bed," Sora retorted calmly after wiping his mouth on the hand towels hanging next to the toilets.

"I don't need YOU telling me that, hypocrite," Kairi insulted after taking her turn wiping her mouth.

"Uh huh," Sora yawned after striding out of the bathroom. "Night, ditz."

Kairi flipped the bathroom switch off and stormed off to her room. "Night, jerk!"

The doors shut simultaneously, and within time, so did their lights.

Kairi snuggled into her pillows, sinking into a comforting sensation and the warmth the thick blankets gave as they shielded a half of her body. The mattress was covered in a thin sheet, and was unbelievably squishy. Kairi shifted a bit and laid on her side, feeling her shoulders relax, that is, until she felt a sensation over them. A flashback ran through her mind of when Sora placed his big hands over her tender shoulders and held her so close to him. Kairi shook her head feverishly and pulled the blanket over her face, finding comfort in the warmth and closed her eyes.

Sora sighed as soon as his blue eyes readjusted to the dark and found himself staring at the blank ceiling above. It seemed endless, like the sky outside, but there was one thing missing: there were no stars. Silly as it sounds, Sora tried hard to at least make a dot appear, even if it was his eye problem. After letting out a huff, Sora immediately felt a rush of warmth swell in his cheeks. He felt them, making sure nothing was coming in contact with it but only remembered that tender moment when Kairi held his face so close to hers upon her soft bed. Sora's eyes went wide and soon closed shut as he overturned on his side, trying to make sleep seep into his mind. It did successfully, along with the help of Kairi's lasting touch on his skin.

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A/N: So? How was it? Do you like it? xD A bit more fluff in this one that the last chapter. Oh, and before I forget, I do not own Super Smash Brothers, nor its characters. xD I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review and thanks for reading!


	28. Future

A/N: Hey guys! Another long update, I know, and I'm sorry! Dx I'm really not enjoying school since finals are coming up and my job is just making me grow more gray hairs. But hey! At least I'm getting paid and will be going to Anime Vegas! xDD Anyway, enough of my ranting! Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does.

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**Chapter 28**

Tuesday morning came slowly within late September. The temperature had no risen, not even once, during this entire month. As a result, families had kept the fire going, producing smog form their long-necked chimneys and disturbing the air. The sun only provided a thin layer of warmth to Twilight Town's citizens, which also served as a reminder to wear more heavy clothing for the season. As the big ball of warmth a million miles away began to start its journey over the world, our main characters, Sora and Kairi, began their day walking along the cold concrete path heavily snubbed in thick jackets. Although Sora wore pants to protect his legs, Kairi's bare ones bore the cold alone and quivered tremendously with each step taken.

"Wh-Why is our d-dress code s-so l-lame?" Kairi stammered, seeing her own breath form and disappear before her.

Sora shrugged. "I don't know. Ask the principal."

Kairi nodded hesitantly. "I think I'll do that."

After a silence passed through the two, Sora's mind held onto a question that wouldn't leave him alone until he heard the words coming from Kairi's lips.

"Hey, Kairi," called Sora.

Kairi peered at him. "Wh-What?"

"Just to make sure, you're staying at my house for a week, right?" Sora asked nonchalantly looking at her.

Kairi nodded. "Why? D-Didn't I tell you?"

"Nope," replied Sora as he faced forward. "You just came in my house and slept in it while your mom drove off in a taxi. Did she abandon you or something?"

Kairi smacked Sora upside the head vigorously.

"No, you idiot!! She's going off for a week to see my dad!"

He painfully rubbed the protruding bump between his spikes.

"Geez, I was just joking!! Talk about PMS..."

Her petite hands made a quick reach to his cheek, pinching it tightly.

"Joking, eh? You sure are a riot. And no, I'm not on my period," Kairi sarcastically remarked as Sora wailed in pain. Kairi ceased her action as soon as they reached the steps of the train station. Before going half-way up, a familiar, yet small voice reached Kairi's ear.

"Kairi! Kairi!"

She turned her red head to the tiny source which made all that noise. Sora did also, peering down at a miniature Kairi, a.k.a Trinity at their feet. She wore a tiny navy blue schemed uniform with a fluffy jacket covering her upper region. The same black and white clips above her ear settled in as it always was and her buggy emerald eyes glistened joyously under the cold sun.

"Hi Kairi! Hi Sora!" squealed Trinity.

Sora turned away, not sure he could bare a simple smile from Kairi, especially when he went through THAT incident yesterday.

"Hi Trinity. You're still as cheerful as ever, I see," Kairi said sweetly bending to her height.

Trinity nodded. "Uh huh! But you guys never visited me once after we played 'house!"

Sora's expression grew smug as he remembered that time.

_Oh god, that stupid game she made us play. She'd call Kairi 'mommy', and she'd call me-_

"Daddy?" Trinity asked, peering up into his blue eyes. Sora twitched a bit.

"Don't call me that," Sora bitterly answered. "My name's Sora. And what do you want?"

Kairi pouted at him. "Be nice, Sora."

Trinity only giggled. "Daddy's still grumpy!"

Sora sighed, giving up all hope on preventing the word "daddy" to reach his ears. Kairi giggled and patted her on the head, realizing that she'd grown a bit.

"Trinity!" called a tiny, yet more drawn-out voice.

All three pairs of eyes turned to a small boy with the same kind of hairstyle as Sora's, except it was more of a dark umber color and sagged down like puppy-dog ears. If a mini-Kairi wasn't enough, then get a load of mini-Sora here. After stopping at his friend's position, the little boy looked up with curious eyes as blue as his older copy.

"Trinity, we have to go or the teacher will mark us absent," the little boy said as he looked back at Trinity.

Trinity frowned. "Awww, c'mon Reaven! The school building is just down the street!"

"But class starts in about ten minutes," the little one called Reaven informed.

"We'll make it," reassured Trinity. "I'm just saying hi to friends from down the street!"

Reaven peered up at the teen couple. Sora noticed that, not even once, did Reaven put on a smile. His small lips only remained an upside-down "u".

"Reaven, meet Sora and Kairi," Trinity cheerily introduced.

Little Reaven peered up at his elders and nodded. "Hello. I'm Reaven."

Sora raised a brow at his frown-y response and was surprisingly the first one to speak. "Hey. I'm Sora."

As for Kairi, his little size and pudgy face only added to her giddy-ness as she knelt down to his height the best she could and graced a warm smile upon her face.

"And my name is Kairi," she said cutely as she embraced the young boy tightly. "You're just like a mini-version of Sora!"

In his usual poutiness, Sora huffed and eyed the scene enviously when Kairi did the unexpected.

**Chu!**

Reaven flushed a bit as he rubbed the spot Kairi had pecked, feeling a bit of stickiness from her cherry lip gloss. Sora stared wide-eyed, but found himself blushing. Of all times to blush, why did his cheeks chose now? Kairi didn't do anything that even related to him! Well, actually...

_Kairi just called the little runt a mini-version of me. Then she kissed him on the cheek! No big deal, right? If so, then why the hell am I blushing?_

Sora found himself staring intensely at the cobblestone ground while ignoring the red that sneaked in his face. It was quite simple, actually. Kairi had just KISSED a "mini-version" of Sora on the cheek. Could that mean something? I mean, think about what would happen if she kissed the REAL Sora! Was she implying anything? Or did her adoration for children just get the better of her? Probably, probably not. Whatever the reason, Sora felt a bit ashamed of himself by letting the flattery get to him, that, or calling Kairi a sap for children. As soon as Kairi regained posture, Trinity giggled and took Raven's hand.

"We'll be going to school now! It was fun talking to you guys again!" Trinity chuckled.

Kairi nodded. "You too. Have fun at school!"

Reaven slowly nodded in response. "C'mon Trinity. We'll be late."

His small hands clutched hers and led her away slowly when Trinity turned back to speak once more.

"Oh, Kairi, Sora! Come over my house today! Reaven's going to sleep over!" Trinity called from a short distance.

Kairi giggled and turned to Sora, whose face was shoved the other way.

"Do you want to?" Kairi whispered.

"Whatever. We'll go after homework's done," Sora huffed struggling to keep a smiling Kairi out of his head.

Kairi's eyes landed back on the tiny couple. "Sure! We'll be there!"

Sora could see the glimmer in Trinity's eyes clearly as Kairi's response echoed through the air.

"Okay! We'll see you guys later! C'mon Reaven! Let's go!"

The excited couple made a small dash to the gates of the nearby elementary school and blended with the child-infested field and playgrounds. Kairi sighed dreamily, watching the children play carelessly and laughing with one another in harmony. Their little jackets made their appearances much more obese and pudgy while a million breaths could be seen forming before her eyes. Sora took notice at her yearning stare and cleared his throat to et her attention.

"Oh, sorry, was I drifting off again?" Kairi chuckled half-heartedly.

"More like spacing out," Sora corrected casually and turned in the direction of the train. "Come on, we better get going."

Kairi nodded and followed after her companion, following the usual routine to school inside the immensely crowded train. Seeing the morning scenery blur by, they proceeded onto school as the bell rang just as they crossed the gates. In a flash, school had started, and the heating units were able to work. Hot air blasted through the classrooms, causing the jacket racks to be filled. Teachers rambled on and on about their objectives for today. It had been the daily schedule followed, but something seemed very off today. Mima and Erol were definitely at school today, but they paid no attention to their loved ones, a.k.a Sora and Kairi. When passing through, only a "Hi Sora!" would suffice, no glomping, no tackling, no nothing! Even Erol seemed busy enough to slide by Kairi without a word. Maybe the girls were calling him again. After all, he IS one of the good-looking guys with brains. Sora left the class as soon as the final bell rang and trumped down the stairs and into the cold atmosphere. Weaving in and out of students, he managed to get to the dead tree before anyone had a chance to knock him over. Sora shivered and could see why the students were so eager to go home.

_It's friggin' cold out here!_

Sora's ears caught on to the loud swing of double doors and watched Kairi hastily go down the stairs and run up to him while hugging herself tightly.

"C-C'mon! I-I wanna g-go h-home!!" Kairi whined as she bounced up and down to keep herself warm.

Sora laughed in his mind at how silly Kairi looked. "Alright alright."

He turned and led the way back home while Kairi followed miserably, breathing into her hands struggling to prevent her legs from shaking. The small rushing winds of passersby didn't help at all and only made the poor auburn want to cry. As her mind suddenly snapped, she brook into a power walk taking Sora along for the ride.

"Wh-Whoa, slow down!" Sora called when he realized how numbly cold Kairi's hands were.

"No! The faster we get home, the warmer I can get!" Kairi protested and kept pacing while breathing into her free hand. It was awkward, but only for Sora as he curled his fingers over hers. How many times has Kairi cracked him open to reveal his timid and shy side? Who knows, all that he knew was that the heat from his face ran down into the arm Kairi was connected to and flowed into her palms. Obviously, this affected Kairi also as her pace slowed down a bit. She side-glanced unnoticeably, feeling the energy from Sora's palm go into her own.

**Thu-Thump!**

_There it goes again... My heart skipping another beat..._

Kairi still did not let go, even when in the train station. She liked the warmth he produced for her. What she liked most, was his will to not let go either. He knew Kairi was cold, and so he at least kept her hand warm. After the doors slid open, and Kairi immediately led the way again. Sora followed behind obediently. As his blue eyes looked up at the back of her head, he knew the cause of that sudden behavior. Kairi didn't want to talk about it, or rather, anything at all. She just wanted to stay warm and keep it that way until they reached Sora's house. After eagerly bursting through the door and embracing the warmth, Kairi sighed dropped her free hand by her side. She looked up at Sora who was busy sliding off his shoes.

"I'm surprised you're nose isn't red from the cold yet," Kairi decided to say to break that long-kept silence.

"Like I said, it'll take more than cold temperature to get me sick," responded Sora stoutly.

"Oh, you two are home!"

Kairi and Sora looked to the brunette mother who, for some reason, changed her happy expression, to somewhat of a devious one.

"Something wrong, mom?" Sora asked as to why her grin was bigger than usual.

The adult chuckled lightly. "I wonder if you two are even aware that you're holding hands."

The two jerked their hands away, wondering why they keep forgetting to LET GO.

"Anyway, uh, mom," Sora called. "Me and Kairi will be going over to Trinity's in a little bit."

"Fine with me," she immediately responded. "As long as you two know your way back home."

_Her house is just up the street..._

"Thank you, ma'am. Come on Sora, let's get our homework finished so we can go," Kairi whispered after thanking his mother.

Sora nodded and led the way upstairs, feeling more warm air rushing from the vents installed in the ceilings. After changing into normal outing clothes, the two went straight into the book for homework. Kairi looked to her brunette friend and noticed today that he didn't ask for help, not even once. Maybe he finally learned to actually pay attention instead of mindlessly drooling there like an idiot. Of course, Kairi kept that part to herself and went back into her English essay. The only noise occupying Sora's room was scribbling, with the occasional clangs and bangs coming from downstairs as Sora's mother arranged the pots and pans cabinet. Fifteen minutes have passed, and Kairi finished re-reading her essay for the fourth time before placing it gently inside her binder. Sora, on the other hand, slammed his Sociology book shut and let out a deep sigh.

"I never knew how complicated humans are," Sora droned while rubbing his head.

Kairi giggled. "Now you know how it feels like when I'm around you."

Sora shot her a glare. "What's THAT supposed to mean?!"

Kairi stood up abruptly. "Nothing! Come on, let's get going to Trinity's!"

With a lazy exhale and a staggering hoist from the bed, Sora straightened himself and followed Kairi downstairs. Sora's mother was watching some soap opera and soon focused her eyes on the pair that strut past the screen.

"Be careful on your way," she called before them.

"We will," Kairi responded and shut the door behind her, once again bearing the cold. At least she wore pants this time. The sun was just over the clock tower and the sky still seemed to be a rich blue. The two began to walk side by side up the sidewalk with hands protected in their pockets.

"So what are we going to do once we get to Trinity's house?" Sora asked, having the question running through his mind twice.

"Play! What else?" Kairi replied.

"Tch, you're still a kid," Sora mocked.

"And you're still an idiot," Kairi fought back.

_Here we go again..._

"Look, how many times are we going to run through this each day?" Sora asked, looking at her.

Kairi shrugged. "As many times as we insult each other."

Sora's brow rose at her tone. It was as if she didn't even mind them bickering constantly.

"If you say so..."

The walk was unbelievably short as their footsteps came down hard on the wooden stairs and stopped in front of a florescent white door. Kairi pushed the button twice, hearing the faint sound of two rings. In a couple of moments, Trinity's mother greeted them at the door and ushered them inside the warm domain. The mother called for Trinity and Reaven to come down. Like a bunch of rocks falling down a rocky steep, Trinity and Reaven came jogging to the front door.

"Hi Kairi! Hi Sora!" Trinity greeted happily.

"Hey, Trinity, Reaven," Kairi softly spoke. "See? We told you we'd come!"

Trinity giggled adorably. "Sure did!"

Sora sighed inwardly. "So, what's the game today...?"

Reaven looked to Trinity also for an answer.

"How about we go to the park?" Trinity asked. "It's a bit cold, but it'll be fun! Right Reaven?"

The little boy shrugged. "I go wherever you go."

Kairi looked to Sora for his approval, which was a sigh taken as a "yeah, sure".

"Okay, let's get going then!" Kairi announced and started for the door.

"You all be careful now!" Trinity's mother called from what seemed like the kitchen.

"We will! By mommy!"

Stepping out into the cold air again for the third time, Kairi shut the door behind and began walking with Sora behind the small friends. The brunette couldn't help but notice his auburn companion holding in her giggles as the small children up front walked side by side. Trinity shivered slightly and hugged herself.

"W-Wow, it's really c-cold!" Trinity laughed nervously.

Reaven looked at her and outstretched his hand. "Here, I'll keep you warm."

Trinity smiled and placed her hand in his, clutching it tightly. Sora and Kairi in the back watched as they strut forward to the nearby playground near the station. It warmed their hearts seeing young love blossom at such a young age, especially in elementary conditions. Sora lifted his shoulders to his cheeks, seeing the past repeat itself before him. It occurred to him that he would unconsciously find himself grasping onto Kairi's hand, like it was second nature to him, like she was the only thing that had mattered to him, like she was his and only his. Sora jerked his head back and shook it violently, cursing himself for thinking the most absurd thing! Okay, so maybe it was a bit flattering and gave him butterflies, but it wasn't necessary! Not even at a time like this, well, okay, blame it o the kids! Kairi stole a second glance at an irritated Sora and replaced her smile with a frown.

"You okay?" she asked, getting his full attention.

"Huh?" Sora said whipping in her direction. "Y-Yeah, just remembered something."

Kairi blinked passively. "What did you remember?"

_Oh great, she HAD to ask!_

"I-It's none of your business," Sora calmly stammered.

"Why can't you trust me?" Kairi said with a pout.

Sora twitched a bit.

_Damn it! Now she's gunna get all pissy hissy on me!_

"I-It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that it's...personal," Sora lied, feeling a sick feeling in his stomach. Obviously lying to Kairi made his insides turn unpleasantly.

"Well," Kairi began. "If it's bothering you, you can tell me."

"Nothing's bothering me," Sora reassured. "I just remembered, that's all..."

Kairi nodded in painful acknowledgement and turned forward, watching the kids up ahead walking with their usual fast pace since their legs were a bit small. Sora's expression pained dramatically as he looked the other way. He couldn't stand seeing Kairi like that, all down in the dumps and what not.

"_Man, all she asked was for your well-being. And you shoot her down like that? Harsh..."_ whispered the little angel that looked identical to Sora, except with tiny white wings and a glimmering halo hovering over his spikes.

_It's not my fault, I just don't want her to worry about me..._ Sora responded in his thoughts to the little saint.

_"Pfft! Are you kidding?! You're heart practically jumped for joy when she asked you that question! Don't be so naive and suck it up!" _wailed the little mischievous Sora devil, swishing his small tail excitedly.

_What the hell? Whose side are you on? Aren't you supposed to make me do bad stuff or something?_ Sora replied quietly while raising an eyebrow.

_"Haha, damn right! But I haven't shown up not even once since you decided to yell at Kairi back then when you know damn well it was you-know-who's fault..." _the little devil pouted, sitting himself on Sora's other shoulder.

Of course, how could he forget? It was so long ago, but it burned itself in Sora's memory bank. The cause of their fights and arguments, the source for their hatred for each other, it all came from one memory of a small boy. Sora gritted his teeth remembering the child from the past, the one who deliberately took Kairi away when they were small and fragile.

_"Surely you remember him, right?"_ the little angel asked. _"He's the one who tore up you and Kairi's friendship back then. At least, that's what you thought..."_

The little devil nodded in agreement. _"That guy was bad news, but he's gone now so no one can lay a hand on her."_

An uncomfortable feeling churned within his as Sora's memory took over his conscious.

----------Flashback----------

_Little Sora's eyes wearily watched through his bedroom window, wondering if his auburn friend would even come anymore to play. Ever since "he" moved in, Kairi's been so distracted with him that he felt a sort of neglect from his friend, BEST friend to say the least. His depression sparked into surprise as he witnessed little Kairi at the front of his house, looking up with glimmering eyes for her day to begin with him. His hopes had quickly turned to stone as Kairi turned her head and laughed to a small boy with yellow ochre hair and determined violet eyes. Sora's expression quickly turned angry as the boy took Kairi's hand and tugged at her to go away from the house to play near wherever he was pointing to. Just as Kairi was about to look back at the house, Sora ducked under his window, making sure his spikes would only reach the bottom sill. After a few moments of silence, he peered over the window slowly, only to crash and burn as he found the desolate nothing of the dirt path staring back at him blankly. Kairi had left with the boy, leaving Sora to struggle holding back his tears._

----------End Flashback----------

Ever since that day, Sora had only shown only anger and hate for Kairi and the boy. It was her fault that she always make a decision to go with him and not Sora, right? But that would only be hypocritical, since Sora always submitted his will to Mima back then. Sora never noticed how long he held that angry expression and kept his fist clenched. That boy. Everything started with that boy. Sora hated him for stealing his best friend away. Then hated himself for not fighting back. Then hated Kairi. He hated her for neglecting him all those times. He hated her for her hating him. Most of all, he hated how she kept strong while he withered away without her love for nearly seven years. His hate was so strong, his heart began thumping unrhythmically and began developing a searing pain in his chest. Sora's little conscious guides faded away as Kairi got his attention.

"Sora...?"

He awoke from his long trance and looked at Kairi right in the eyes. "Huh?"

"We're here," she reminded staring back at the young couple that were already darting for the swings.

"Oh," Sora quietly responded, watching Reaven help Trinity up on the swings. "Right."

Kairi turned away, knowing all too well that it would be pointless to even ask and started for the gate entrance. Sora numbly followed behind, trudging through the sand. Trinity jumped up and down on her swing, rattling the heavy chains that suspended her above the ground.

"Sora, push me!" she demanded cheerfully.

Sora bulged his lower lip while looking down at her. "You're a big girl, push yourself."

"I'll call you 'daddy' if you don't push me," Trinity grumbled.

Rolling his eyes, Sora said," Is that supposed to scare me...?"

Trinity frowned. "Please...?"

A gentle hand settled on his broad shoulders. His eyes turned to see a brilliant smile.

"Please, Sora?" Kairi gently asked.

There it was. That smile she always put on for him, to manipulate him, guilt him, or to just comfort him. Sora didn't know which one to pick, but he gave up in the end.

"Fine," he sighed lowly and walked around the swing set behind Trinity and pushed lightly. His strength proved to be amazing, even from a one-hand push as Trinity's height began increasing slowly. Kairi walked around behind Reaven and began pushing also with two hands, making sure she exerted a little more force.

"I bet I can go higher!" Trinity called.

"Yeah right! You're on!" Reaven replied, swinging his feet under him to gain more distance.

Sora and Kairi watched the competition with ease as they supported from behind. A small giggle slipped Kairi's lips watching the two children play to their hearts content. Sora on the other hand looked in a hypnotizing state at the ground, taking no interest in the sands lumpy texture and formation. Not even realizing the slow of speed and decrease of heights, Sora and Kairi finally figured out that the swings were empty as Reaven and Trinity raced to the slides. Kairi smiled to herself and sat in Reaven's place on the swings.

_It seems like we're not need anymore..._

Sora did the same and watched the two trail up the plastic steps. His head soon faced the ground again.

"Hey, Kairi..." Sora quietly said.

Kairi turned her head. "What is it?"

How was he going to word this? He thought long and hard before letting a word slip from his mouth.

"Look, about today... That personal thing I told you about..." Sora trailed off.

Kairi nodded and listened intently. "Yeah...?"

"I was just... remembering us a long time ago..." he responded.

Kairi faced the slides where the two children played, but kept her ears open.

"Before we became enemies?" Kairi asked.

A moment of silence passed before Sora slowly nodded. "Yeah..."

The atmosphere became terrifyingly heavy, when the air lifted from Kairi's small chuckle.

"Those were the good old days..."

He slowly nodded. "Right..."

...Now what? What else was there to say?

"Is that what's bothering you?" Kairi asked, keeping her eyes on the kids.

No use in trying to hide it. "Yeah," Sora nodded.

She turned to him again, grabbing hold of the chain suspenders. "Does it bother you that we became like this?

Like a direct hit, Sora sighed. "You got me."

Kairi's mind flashed through the important memories from long ago, and she shook her head. "Don't let it bother you, Sora."

He raised his head and looked directly at her, trying to make eye contact. "Why shouldn't I?"

Kairi let her fingers twiddle in her lap. "I don't know how to explain this, so just bear with me a bit."

Sora's full attention was his response as Kairi began her explanation.

"You shouldn't let it bother you because, well, you just shouldn't! I mean, what good will it do to keep worrying over it? It's all in the past now. We can't do anything to change the past."

Kairi smiled warmly to Sora.

"But we can change our future."

It all made sense to Sora. No matter what she said, or how she said it, everything she ever did affected him. It made Sora feel pathetic at how strong and optimistic Kairi always was, even when they were in the bitterest of moods. It's no wonder he's fallen so head-over-heels with her and openly admitted it in his mind. She was beautiful, inside and out.

With a response, Sora half smiled. "Right..."

_Our future..._

"Sora, Kairi!" Trinity called from the far sandbox.

As if the world had just welcomed them, they glanced around for them and spotted the two constructing a sagging castle. Reaven was just getting up and dusted himself off before shouting," I think we should go home now!"

Nodding in agreement after looking up at the orange sky, the two waited for the children to come along and follow home. Again, they walked hand in hand while embracing the cold swarming around them. Kairi chuckled to herself, noticing a small rush of red seeping into Reaven's plump cheeks as Trinity swung their hands together. Seeing their interlocked hands ushered in warmth inside her chest as she looked to her brunette friend. Sora's breath fogged his vision for a mere second when it dissipated with his hands shoved in his pockets.

_I should do it. For old time's sake..._

Kairi lifted her head and faced him.

"Sora?"

"Hm?" he hummed, piercing her with sky-like eyes. To his confusion, Kairi's hand outstretched for his to grasp.

"...For old-time's sake?" Kairi asked timidly, feeling the heat meddle in her cheeks. Sora instantly read the message and turned the other way, clearing his throat.

"Geez, you ARE still a kid if I need to hold your hand every now and then," Sora calmly stated as he took hers, secretly beaming in his mind.

Kairi chuckled. "There's always a kid in all of us, Sora. Even in you."

Sora mentally grinned in his mind.

_That must explain why I'd want to hold your hand every waking moment._

As the quartet marched home, paired with interlocked hands, they safely made it inside the warm house. Trinity's mother peeked from behind the kitchen wall and beamed.

"I hope you all had fun!" she asked.

The four nodded. "We sure did!"

"That's good," the adult said. "Now, it's time for bed since you two have school tomorrow. Thank you very much, Sora and Kairi, for looking after these two. Tell your parents I said hello!"

"Wait, before you guys go," Trinity said after slipping off her shoes. "Will you guys read us a short bed-time story?"

Sora's eyes looked as though they'd sag out of their sockets. "Aren't you two a bit too OLD for a bed-time story?"

Reaven shook his head. "We're still kids. And we don't want to grow up yet."

Kairi giggled. "Come on Sora. I'm sure it won't take too long."

Sighing deeply, he affirmed. "Fine, have it your way."

Trinity giggled loudly while taking Reaven's hand rushing up the stairs. Kairi followed with Sora miserably slugging behind. In lightning speed, Reaven opened the bathroom door and was already dressed in his pajamas. It was the same for Trinity, for she unlocked her door wearing an adorable lavender night gown. The kids squirmed under the blanket and situated themselves in a comfortable position while looking up at their story-tellers. Kairi pulled up two colorful chairs and sat on them, looking around the lively room with posters of cartoon characters and super heroes. Sora slumped his bottom down and sighed inwardly.

"Okay, what story...?" Sora droned.

Trinity immediately got up and pointed to her bed-side desk drawer, cueing them to open it up. Kairi did so and noticed the first book she saw. It was a simple little book with a few pages and a hard cover.

"That's our favorite story! Right Reaven?" Trinity giggled, getting back under the covers. Reaven nodded and watched intently.

Sora peered over Kairi's shoulders, examining the little picture of the cover.

"What's the story called?" he asked.

Kairi looked up at the title. "It's called... Kingdom Hearts."

**End Chapter 28**

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A/N: Well? How was it? Did you like it? A LOT has happened in this one chapter, I know, but trust me, it'll be for the best. 8D I wonder how the little story Kingdom Hearts will turn out like! Wanna find out? You'll just have to wait until the next update! Though I'm not sure if the chapter will be short or lengthy, considering it will only be focused upon the story of Kingdom Hearts. That's all for now! Please review and thanks for reading! C8


	29. Kingdom Hearts

A/N: Dx Hey guys. Okay, to be very honest, I didn't really enjoy writing this chapter, because I had to remember what happened after what in Kingdom Hearts and I didn't feel like replaying the game, so I did the best I could. Please excuse any mistakes and the rushy-ness of it, since I was trying to make it seem like a children's book. I will warn you now, **Kingdom Hearts spoilers ahead!** You may choose to skip this chapter, or you can read it for the heck of it. Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 29**

The night was young, and the stars twinkled happily above the warm-smitten houses in Twilight Town. The clock tower's bell illuminated brilliantly with its reflected light while the lamps glowed with mystery. A few to no people still lingered in the streets, attempting to finish up any last-minute tasks or close down a shop. In this town, Twilight Town was the only world ever visible to its citizens, but to its children, much much more lay out in the vast open space. In the house we left off at where Trinity and Reaven were neatly tucked into bed, Sora and Kairi find the book that is desired to be read. Sora, being as critical as he is, swipes the book from Kairi's hands and skim through the pages, examining every illustration that came across his blue eyes.

"Hmm, the art is pretty good for a children's story book," he complimented, flipping it to the very first page where the copyrights were. "Tetsuya Nomura, eh? Sounds like a cool guy."

Kairi took the book back and rolled her eyes at Sora's pathetic attempt to stall her from reading. Before opening the hard cover, an urge of excitement rushed through her as she asked the two kids," Are you ready?"

Reaven and Trinity anxiously nodded, waiting for the pages to be flipped and the story to be told.

Kairi flipped the book open, eyeing the words and illustrations carefully when she began to speak:

**Once upon a time, where darkness resided, a sleeping boy awoke from his slumber. He found himself on top of a stained glass platform with intricate designs and characters he had never seen before. A voice echoed throughout the dark realm, guiding him and telling him to be strong and go forward. The boy did so, walking into the light that illuminated through the shadows from above. As he stepped closer, his shadow became larger and became a gigantic monster with a missing heart. The boy was terrified, not knowing what to do as he stumbled at the edge of the platform. Darkness started to swirl in pools around his feet as he struggled to get away. He thought all hope was lost, when the guiding voice instructed him to use his heart. The boy did as he was told, and looked deep in his heart for the light. In a bright flash, the boy bursted out of the monster's shadowy grasp, holding a mighty weapon that was shaped like a key. The word "keyblade" echoed through his head as he wielded it against the monster, destroying it with pure light. Right when the monster disappeared, a door appeared. The boy took a step toward it, opening it into the blinding light.**

"You call this a children's book?" Sora asked. "It's pretty intense for ages seven and up to read..."

"Hush Sora," Kairi shushed while turning the page. "I'm reading. Ahem, as I was saying..."

**The boy woke up, finding himself on one of the islands on his home called Destiny Islands. As he-**

"Destiny Islands?" Sora asked again, peering over Kairi's shoulder. "No way, this story originated from Destiny Islands?"

Reaven nodded. "It's a famous story always being passed down."

Sora scratched his head ape-like. "How come I've never hear-"

"AHEM!" Kairi interrupted irritably. "AS I was saying..."

**As the boy awoke, a girl was staring right into his eyes. He knew quickly that it was his best friend.**

"Ooo! Ooo! I know!" Trinity impatiently flailed. "The boy should be Sora, and the girl should be Kairi!"

Sora jerked back a bit. "What are you talking about?"

Kairi nodded. "Okay, then the boy who wielded the keyblade will be Sora, and I'll be the girl best friend. Okay Sora?"

"Do whatever you want," Sora angrily grumbled as he looked elsewhere.

**Sora greeted Kairi and told her about his strange dream with the dark monster that almost swallowed him up. Kairi didn't really believe it. Then, Sora's other best friend-**

"Who should the other best friend be?" Kairi asked before going on.

"Riku," Sora added. "Since it was us three form the beginning."

Kairi nodded and resumed:

**-Sora's other best friend, Riku, came up and urged them to help with the raft they were constructing. The three raced to the other end of the island, smiling and laughing in the bright sun. Sora gathered materials needed for the departure, Riku wandered elsewhere to see if they needed anything else, while Kairi made a good luck charm out of thassala shells resembling the shape of a star. While Sora was busy looking for mushrooms, he decided to go look in the "Secret Cave", where drawings were carved on rock while they were still children. After getting the mushrooms near a strange looking door with no handle, he turned to a drawing he and Kairi did long ago on a rock wall. Sora remembered how little they were when they carved each other's pictures into the stone. Sora took up a pointed rock and drew on a hand holding a star-looking object that extended out to Sora's drawing of Kairi. He smiled to himself, when he heard a noise behind him, he quickly covered the drawing, asking," Who's there?"**

**A hooded figure loomed over, not showing a face or hands from his sleeves.**

**"This world will be consumed by darkness," the hooded man said. Sora didn't understand what this man was trying to say.**

**"There is so much to learn, yet you know so very little," said the hooded-man again, indicating to the door that was inside the rock. Sora looked at the door, then back at the hooded man, but he was gone. After crawling out of the cave, Sora headed back to where the raft was finished and met with his two best friends, Riku and Kairi. Once the preparations were finished, they decided to depart tomorrow.**

**Before going on their boats to go back home, the three took one final look at the sunset discussing what kind of worlds would be out there besides their little islands. After discussing, Kairi was the first to head to the docks. Sora left after, but was called by Riku and given a Paopu Fruit.**

**"A Paopu Fruit?" Sora asked.**

**"They say when two people share a Paopu Fruit, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives forever," Riku replied. He then walked ahead of him, laughing. "Come on, I know you want to use it!"**

**Sora tossed it aside, embarrassed on the inside as he chased after Riku and Kairi on the shore.**

"Of course Sora would wanna share it with Kairi!" Trinity giggled.

Reaven nodded.

Sora shook his head feverishly. "D-Don't say that!"

"Calm down, Sora," Kairi giggled turning the page. "It's just a story."

**It was night time as Sora lay on his bed looking up at the toy boat hanging up on his wall when he heard rumbling in the distance. He looked out the window and saw a storm swirling in the distance.**

**"Oh no! The raft!" he cried and jumped out the window and to his boat. He rowed his way across the wavering sea and came on the deck, seeing Riku and Kairi's boats also. Once his feet touched the wooden surface, dark creatures started appearing before him with dangerous yellow eyes. They made every attempt to hurt him, but Sora managed to get away and try to find his best friends'. When he saw Riku's figure upon the tiny island connected with a bridge, he ran to him, but stopped short to find him being consumed in darkness. Riku outstretched his hand, telling Sora to not be afraid of the darkness. Sora tried to take his hand, but the dark pools around their feet prevented him from doing so. It was like his dream. Just when he thought the darkness would swallow him for good this time, a light appeared, clearing out the dark's grasp. Sora found himself holding the same weapon as in his dream. He held the keyblade. After swinging it around a bit, he couldn't find Riku anywhere. Sora began looking throughout the whole island for his friends and fighting the dark shadows that kept springing up behind him when he came across a door in place of the hole for the "Secret Cave". He opened the door and went through the narrow cave, finding Kairi there. Sora noticed something odd about her, for she seemed lifeless. There was another door behind her, which opened immediately and caused her speeding towards Sora. As he opened his arms to embrace her, she merely faded into nothing, and Sora was blown back outside by the dark wind from the door.**

"Geez, this story has a lot happening in it," Sora commented as Kairi licked her finger to turn the page.

"I think it's a wonderful story. Very full of adventure!" Kairi commented as she made a quick glance at Trinity and Reaven, who were wide awake waiting for the next page to be read.

**As Sora found himself back on the tiny islet he and Riku were just on, the monster from his strange dream appeared before him again, threatening to destroy him. Sora fought gallantly and struck the monster down in the storm. As the monster fell to its knees, a giant vortex appeared above the whole island, sucking in anything that comes in its path. Sora clung on to dear life on a wooden board, but slipped and went flying into the deadly black hole along with the monster.**

Sora moaned a bit after seeing the illustration. "This book gives me the creeps."

"You just don't have any imagination," Kairi said, flipping the page.

"I so DO have an ima-"

**Sora woke up and found himself in a strange alleyway unfamiliar to him, but he was not alone. There, by his side, was a dog named Pluto barking excitedly as if trying to lead him. Sora followed after, discovering the new place he was in when he found a sign that read "Traverse Town". In the area, he met a strange pilot named Cid in an accessories shop. Cid explained how he was forced to take refuge in this world while his home world was destroyed. Sora figured out that his islands were gone ad started to worry about his friends. Cid reassured him that he'll find them if he kept his spirit up. Sora nodded and walked out into the open. Just when he thought he was okay, those dark little creatures sparing up again, circling around him. Sora defeated them all with his keyblade, when a voice came from behind.**

**"They'll keep coming after you, as long as you continue to wield the keyblade," said the voice. It turned out to be a man with a large gun-shaped blade. The man walked closer to Sora, as if trying to take away the keyblade. With a swift move, Sora fought back. The man and Sora fought until Sora fainted from exhaustion.**

"What?! I LOST?! To some old lame guy with a gun blade?!" Sora wailed. "I have a frickin' keyblade for cryin' out loud!"

Trinity giggled as Sora flailed his hands.

"I really like this guy. He's strong and cool," Reaven commented.

Kairi turned the page and continued reading.

**"Come on you lazy bum, wake up!" said a voice.**

**Sora opened his eyes and found Kairi smiling back at him. At first he couldn't believe it, but then Kairi's image soon turned into another girl's image. This girl named Yuffie was a ninja and quickly befriended Sora along with the man with the large gun-shaped blade named Leon. Sora learned all about his keyblade and the other worlds that exist out of Traverse Town. Just as Sora called the keyblade to his hands, the dark shadows showed up again for another attack. The three managed to get out, but Sora was left alone to defend himself. He traveled through Traverse Town's districts, fighting recklessly when he reached the third district. It became eerily quiet all of a sudden, Sora found himself on the ground with large weights being added on his back. Very soon did he realize that a duck and a dog were on his back.**

**"The key!" they animals shrieked.**

**Just before they got to introduce themselves, a large monster appeared before them. Sora quickly learned that the duck was a skilled magician and the dog was a brave knight with a large shield. The three fought together as a team and quickly vanquished the monster. After recovering themselves, the three did a proper introduction.**

**"My name's Donald!" squeaked the duck.**

**"My name's Goofy!" gawked the dog.**

**"And I'm Sora," said Sora.**

**Very soon Leon and Yuffie came out and told Sora that he would be able to fine Riku and Kairi if he traveled with Donald and Goofy, who were searching for their king. Sora agreed to go with them on their gummi-ship to travel the worlds and find their friends and the king of Disney Castle.**

Reaven yawned a bit, followed by Trinity who rubbed her large eyes wearily. Kairi smiled and turned the page while Sora supported his head with his hand while his elbow stood on his thigh.

**The three ventured through many worlds like the Deep Jungle, where they met an ape-man named Tarzan and quickly discovered that the worlds were being invaded by the darkness creatures called Heartless. Sora also learned that he could help save these worlds by "locking the keyhole" to the heart of the worlds. Sora did so through every world , like the Olympus Coliseum, Atlantica, Monstro's Mouth, Neverland, Halloween Town, and Agrabah. Through his journey, he learned of Kingdom Hearts, where all hearts weave together to make an ultimate kingdom. He sought out the evil force controlling the darkness and the witch Maleficent along with an unknown man by the name of Ansem. She had been collecting what they're known as the "Seven Princesses of Light", and Sora soon learned that Kairi was one of them. It is said that their hearts are so pure that they were needed to unlock Kingdom Hearts. While Sora visited Neverland, he learned that Riku had joined the dark side, due to his jealousy of the key bearer and his new comrades. Riku also revealed that he was holding Kairi hostage and that she had lost her heart. Sora swore from then on that he would get his friends back and get Kairi's heart.**

Sora nodded off a bit as Kairi turned the page. Trinity and Reaven were still awake, listening intently while their eyes sagged a bit.

**As Sora reached a world called Hollow Bastion, he ventured through the heartless with his friends Donald and Goofy. Before taking a step up from the waterfalls, Riku appeared before them, having an evil smirk upon his face. Riku summoned Sora's keyblade with his darkness, and Sora struggled against him, but the darkness was too strong. Riku had stolen Sora's keyblade from him.**

**"It's just as Maleficent said," Riku said, examining the keyblade. "You were just the delivery boy."**

**Sora fell to his knees, defeated at the thought that the keyblade had chosen Riku instead of him after all of those times fighting through the darkness.**

**"Here, you can play hero with this," Riku said as he tossed a wooden sword at Sora's feet.**

**Donald and Goofy looked to each other in pain.**

**"Come on Goofy. We have to do what the king says. We need to follow the key," Donald said, and ran after Riku. Goofy looked at Sora one more time and followed miserably behind Donald. Sora was left alone in the waterfalls, looking at the wooden sword Riku threw at his feet. Sora took it up and proceeded forward, still having hope in his heart. As he reached the gizmo-like castle, he befriended a Beast who looked recklessly for his princess. The two teamed up together, searching far and wide in the castle, when Riku appeared again with Donald and Goofy at his side. Riku had laid a trap for Beast to follow and isolated Sora from him. Now, with a wooden sword and the Beast no longer at his side, Sora was defenseless. Just as Riku shot an attack at Sora, Goofy gallantly defended him. Donald waddled after to his side, defending him like Goofy did.**

**"Well, you know, one for all and all for one, right?" Donald quacked.**

**Sora smiled and faced the lone Riku up ahead, who still had a smirk.**

**"How will you defeat me without your keyblade?" he asked as he summoned it before him.**

**"I don't need the keyblade," Sora said. "My friends are my power."**

**With a glimmer of light, the keyblade disappeared in Riku's hands and reappeared in Sora's. Riku felt angry and summoned his own dark key and battled with the three. Sora and his friends defeated Riku, but not fully as he disappeared within the darkness.**

Kairi turned the page again, keeping an eye on the tiny pair that was tucked away in bed. Sora, on the other hand, let his eyes rest but listened nonetheless.

**The three ventured through the castle and met up with Beast again. Going through the halls and pick-ups, Sora met Riku again in a strange room where the princesses of light where held in captivity. They seemed to be asleep and did not stir as they walked through. Sora saw a very large heart-shaped cavern in the middle of the room with vibrant colors swishing around in it. Before the cavern, laid an unconscious Kairi, sleeping peacefully. Sora rushed up to her and cradled her in his arms.**

**"Kairi! Kairi! Open your eyes!" he cried as he shook her.**

**"It's no use."**

**Riku appeared behind him as darkness swirled his every move. He held out his hand, as if to reach out to Sora's heart. Sora felt the pain inside him and began holding his chest.**

**"Don't you see? The princess is responding!" Riku cried, intensifying his power. Sora looked to Kairi's sleeping face.**

**"Kairi...Kairi's inside me...?" he asked, clutching his chest.**

**Riku summoned his dark keyblade and was about to strike Sora while he was down, when Kairi's voice rang in Sora's ear.**

**"Sora!"**

**Sora quickly blocked his attack with his keyblade.**

**"There's no way you're taking Kairi's heart!" Sora cried.**

**The two fought out long and hard, when Sora finally defeated Riku. Riku vanished within the darkness, leaving his dark keyblade, Oblivion on the ground. Donald and Goofy followed after, watching Sora pick up the keyblade. He learned that the Oblivion keyblade unlocked hearts, and decided to unlock Kairi's heart from him for her to wake up. He thrust the blade in his chest, feeling Kairi and his own heart leave his body. The Oblivion keyblade released the other six princess' hearts as they returned to their owner. Kairi awoke as her heart returned to her. Sora felt himself give way into the darkness and vanished in a spark of light as Kairi was about to catch him.**

**"Sora...?" Kairi called watching the little sparks of light twinkle out. The ground shook and the large heart-shaped cavern began shining with vibrant colors.**

**"Kairi, come on!" Goofy called out to her.**

**"We have to go!" Donald squawked.**

**"I'm not leaving without Sora!" Kairi said. Out of nowhere, the evil man, Ansem, appeared behind her and tried to make a reach for her, but the image of Riku appeared and held him back. **

**"No! I won't be used... for this!" Riku cried as he struggled against Ansem's will.**

**Donald and Goofy took Kairi away form Riku and proceeded out to the entrance of the castle. Out of nowhere, a dark creature sprang up and looked curiously to the departing three. It followed clumsily after them. The three stopped at the entrance of the castle as Kairi looked back at the stalking shadow. It made no movement, nor did it show any harm. Donald bonked it twice on the head with his staff.**

**"Confounded Heartless!" he squawked.**

**Kairi knelt down to it.**

**"Sora?" she asked.**

**Goofy made a loud shriek as different Heartless began circling around the group dangerously.**

Kairi took a glance at her cell phone and the time read '9:22' before turning the page.

"It's getting late," Sora mumbled.

Kairi nodded. "Just a few more pages, and we'll go home."

Trinity and Reaven stirred a bit as they awoke suddenly and tried to look as if they haven't dozed off.

**The Heartless lunged at them, devouring Kairi and the lone shadow in darkness. Kairi held onto the shadow, feeling a presence uplift in her chest. In a flash of light, the darkness disappeared and Kairi found herself in the arms of Sora.**

**"Kairi, thank you," Sora whispered as he held on to her tight.**

**"Sora...!" Kairi excitedly called as she looked to him. Soon after, Donald and Goofy were at his side, fighting of what's left of the Heartless. The three made a run out of the castle and into the gummi ship, safely landing in Traverse Town. There he met up with his friends, Yuffie, Leon, and Cid, along with a gentle woman named Aerith. Sora had told Kairi to stay put with them so he can find Riku. Before he set off on his lest adventure, Kairi gave him her good luck charm that was made for the raft on Destiny Islands.**

**"Don't forget, wherever you are, I'm always with you," Kairi reassured. Sora nodded and promised to bring the charm back to her after his last adventure. Sora, Donald, and Goofy set off once more to Hollow Bastion to stop the rapid flow of Heartless. Back in Hollow Bastion, the three encountered Maleficent, who turned into a fierce black dragon. They fought hard until she withered away in weakness and disappeared in darkness. The three went back into the room where the large cavern resided and stepped into it. A large monster called Behemoth appeared and guarded the keyhole behind it. The trio struck it down with difficulty and proceeded the keyhole. Sora locked it up, and stepped back outside. There, he saw the Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith. They all conversed about how the worlds will be separated once Ansem was defeated and the Door to Light will be opened.**

**"We may never see each other again, but we'll always remember each other," Leon said.**

Kairi flipped the page and let a yawn slip. After peering up from the book, her eyes fell on a sleeping Trinity and Reaven. Her eyes then switched on Sora, who blinked sleepily at her.

"Well...?" Sora said quietly. "Finish the stupid story so we can get home."

"They're already sleeping, so let's go," Kairi said, about to close the book when Sora stopped her.

"You have one more page left. Might as well finish it," he sleepily said.

Kairi chuckled and went on to the last page.

**Sora, Donald, and Goofy set off in their gummi ship to another world that was unlocked as Hollow Bastion was sealed. The world seemed to be falling apart, and there was little left from the Heartless attack. The three adventured in, fighting through dangerous and more powerful Heartless when he reached a door. The door looked just like the one in his dream long ago. When he opened it, the three found themselves on the beach of Destiny Islands. There, Ansem was waiting along with his dangerous darkness. Sora fought him long and hard with the help of Donald and Goofy. Just then, the whole island became black, and Sora found himself alone on the true form of Ansem. He fought diligently, struggling to win against the darkness when he finally struck him down. Sora saw that Ansem reached out for a large door that was closed.**

**"Kingdom Hearts, lead me into ever-lasting darkness!" cried Ansem.**

**"You're wrong!" Sora cried. "I know now, without a doubt, that Kingdom Hearts, is light!"**

**The door opened and the light pierced through Ansem's entire being and defeated his last entity of darkness. The three rushed to the door and found a thousand heartless inside, multiplying and becoming stronger. He also found Riku inside along with the king of Disney Castle himself.**

**"Now Sora," squeaked the little king as he held up a golden keyblade. "Let's say we close this door for good!"**

**With a hesitation, Sora did not want to trap his best friend and the king inside, but decided to not go against their wishes and pushed against the doors, causing Riku and the king to be trapped inside within the darkness. Before Riku's face disappeared behind the doors, he said," Take care of her."**

**The door shut, and Sora and the king locked the door shut, causing it to disappear. Sora vowed to look for the king and Riku again, when Kairi came running up.**

**"Sora!" she cried. The ground shook violently and almost fell over, when Sora caught her hand.**

**"Kairi, remember what I said before?" Sora asked. Just as he asked this, Kairi drifted apart from Sora, but still held onto to his hand. "I'm always with you too!"**

**Kairi held onto his hand tightly.**

**"I'll come back to you, I promise!" he cried.**

**"I know you will!" Kairi responded back, and let go. Kairi drifted away, watching Sora distance even more and soon disappear as Destiny Islands reformed again. She watched the sands come together as the sea washed back and forth on the shores. The palms trees sprung up along with their tree houses and shacks. The sun shone brightly on the reformed island as Kairi wandered back into the Secret Cave. She felt the drawings with her hands when her fingers stumbled upon a particular drawing. It was the one she and Sora did when they were little, but she did not recognize the little addition to it. On Sora's side, a drawing of his hand extending out to her giving her a star made her chuckle and cry at the same time. She picked up a rock, and illustrated the same thing as Sora's, staring at it longingly as the wind blew in the cavern.**

**In another world, Sora, Donald, and Goofy walk along on a dirt path.**

**"Well, now what do we do?" Donald asked as he waddled.**

**"We've got to find Riku and King Mickey," Sora replied.**

**"But where should we start?" Goofy asked. Just as he asked this, Pluto came running up with a letter in its mouth. On the letter, the king's emblem was stamped on it. The three followed after the dog excitedly, wondering where he would lead and what adventure awaited them next.**

**The end.**

"Geez, this story's a bit cheesy and rushed over," Kairi commented as she closed the book. Sora stretched out his arms and made grunting noises as he felt his muscles extend.

"You're the one who decided to read it. And besides, it's a children's book. It's not supposed to be detailed," Sora said as he slouched over.

Kairi ignored him and turned to the sleeping pair on the bed, making tiny breathing noises and shifted on occasions.

"Well, now that they're asleep, and the story's finished, can we go home now? My mom will probably kill me," Sora droned as he stood up. Kairi nodded and followed after him, gently settling the book on the bedside table and turning off the lights. The door shut, engulfing Trinity's room in darkness, when, in mystery, the book gleamed dimly and then faded in darkness.

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A/N: Well? How was it? Did you like it? Kinda cheesy, eh? Oh well, like I said, please excuse any mistakes for I don't feel like fixing them right now. xD I hope it didn't bore you out of your mind! If it did, I apologize, and I'll write an awesome chapter next! Well, please review and thanks for reading! C8

**End Chapter 29**


	30. Little Island

A/N: Hey guys! Here's a new chapter! Ugh, anything to rid that last chapter off the latest updates... So anyway, enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 30**

"Get back here you ditz! I'll make you pay for calling me a schizophrenic!"

Kairi laughed loudly as she zoomed past the morning people and the various lampposts as Sora angrily chased behind with the eyes of a devil. Why Kairi chose Wednesday in late September to tick Sora off was beyond her, but lately, her mind has been reliving the days she's enjoyed with Sora and decided to spice things up a bit. Kairi giggled at how Sora made his usual angry face with scrunched eyes brows and crinkled nose.

"I was just giving an example of a schizophrenic!" she laughed as she turned a corner.

"And you had to use ME as an example?!" Sora yelled, hastening his speed a bit.

_When the hell did she get so fast?_

Kairi kept running, pondering as to why she felt neither exhaustion nor sweat as she zipped through the cold air. Little did she know a certain brunette was closing in behind her and holding his arms out threatening to pull her into a death-hug. Once Kairi snapped out of her thoughts as fast foot-steps were getting louder, she turned over her shoulder to find Sora right behind her.

"Gotcha!" he cried and grasped her tightly. Kairi laughed as she struggled against his will and kept running, when she felt her legs topple over Sora's from behind, sending them crashing down on the pavement and rolling like a log. The dizzy experience finally stopped as momentum died, landing them at a black gate with bushels behind it. People stared bewilderingly at the couple, wondering why they were rolling on the floor in the first place.

"Teen love..." scoffed a plump lady quietly passing by.

Kairi hoisted herself up from Sora's chest and tried focusing her vision, which kept giving way and swirling in different directions.

"Wh-Whoa... I'm r-really dizzy..." Kairi wearily said as her head cocked a bit.

Sora hoisted himself from his elbows, feeling sick to the stomach.

"I-It's your fault..." he sickly responded. "Wh-Where are we...?"

Kairi stood up dizzily and used the black gate for support, letting the blood in her head to stop whirl pooling. Once her vision stopped moving, she quickly recognized the shops and peculiar stores.

"We're in the Shopping District," she informed.

Sora slowly staggered up, using the iron gate for support. "I think I'm gunna be sick..."

"It's your fault for chasing me," Kairi said.

"It's your fault for calling me a schizophrenic," Sora bitterly said, leaning over in case he needed to spew something out.

"Hey, it was just an example," Kairi shrugged.

"Then don't use me as one!" Sora wailed.

Kairi giggled childishly, sending chills over Sora's sweaty back. The cold air now seemed refreshing to the two since they just burned their entire body by running from each other. Kairi looked to Sora, invisibly asking "Are we done now?". Sora sighed as a yes and proceeded to walk on to the train station to a place where all teens want to go crazy. School. Kairi chuckled to herself at the morning scenario that just occurred two seconds ago and wondered if the people they had passed labeled them as having mental issues. Probably, but it was worth it, right? After gliding up the steps and smashing themselves in the train, Sora peered down at a bombarding Kairi to his chest put on a mug expression.

"Out of all days to piss me off, you chose today," he quietly said as the train doors slid close. As usual, the passengers relaxed and more room was becoming less available, but the two were practically used to this since they dealt with it everyday. But, Kairi made it awkward for him by lifting her face close to his.

"What are you gunna do about it?" she dangerously asked with a smirk.

Sora could feel the steam wafting out of his face as his cheeks became extremely cherry-like.

"G-Get your face outta mine!" he stammered, finding it impossible to look the other way since his hair would disturb a passenger.

Kairi smiled victoriously and chuckled," Geez, it's so easy to get on your bad side."

"And that's a good thing...?" Sora asked nervously, feeling his heart thump heavily against Kairi's breast.

The doors slid open, revealing the station of Sunset Hill and the tram cart wobbled a bit as people shuffled out. Sora and Kairi weaved through the crowd and resumed up the cobblestone steps of the Sunset pathway. The sun had begun rising over the ocean, creating a beautiful tint of orange to roam across the skies, followed by a hint of sky-blue. Crossing the school gates, the welcome of idle students and the smell of grass and trees registered in the pair's mind and senses. They crossed over to their usual morning hang out where Sora and Kairi's friends lounged.

"Morning, cousin," greeted Roxas. "Morning Kairi."

They nodded. "Good morning. Where's Naminé?"

Like a lightning bolt, Roxas's expression grew dim and a river flowed down his eyes lashes.

"Sh-She's sick!!" he stammered and began driving his head into Axel's shoulder for comfort.

"Now you've done it," Axel smirked miserably as Roxas blubbered on his shoulder.

Kairi covered her mouth. "She's sick?! Oh my gosh, I didn't know!"

Sora raised an eyebrow, staring at his as his cousin sobbed pathetically with Axel half-heartedly comforting him by patting his back.

"We'll go visit her after school then, okay Sora?" Kairi asked.

Sora shrugged. "I don't mind. Tell Naminé we'll be coming, okay?"

Roxas peered up with the biggest blue eyes anyone has ever seen and nodded slowly while tears still streamed down his sorrowed expression.

"Get a hold of yourself, cousin. It's not like she's going to die," Sora reassured.

In a split second, Sora found his collar in the tight grasp of Roxas's along with his large scowl.

"Don't jinx it!" Roxas panicked.

Sora's frown grew smug at his cousin's depression. "You also need a breath mint."

**Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!**

Feeling his cousin's deadly grasp loosen, he straightened his shirt and sighed inwardly, miserably prepared for whatever school would throw at him, not matter how bored or uninterested he was.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sora stormed out of the double doors and threw himself at the stubby tree stripped of its leaves, seeing his extra hot breath disappear before him.

_I am never taking Psychology again..._

The breeze had died down this morning, leaving a stable temperature of coldness to waver around the town. His caramel spikes twitched every time he took a breath into his hands as his blue eyes watched the double doors for his auburn girl friend to come. Kairi did on cue, clutching her binder and two objects that were plump and a bit shiny. Her shoes flopped loudly as she made her way to Sora.

"What's that?" Sora asked, pointing to the decorated plump.

Kairi held it up for him to see. It was a tiny package of some sort, wrapped in star-sprinkled paper that shone. Topping it off was a delicate white bow.

"Cookies I made for Naminé in Home Ec," Kairi responded.

Sora pointed to the other one. "That too?"

Kairi's cheeks flushed as she fingered the heart-seasoned package. "These are my mistakes..."

A light brown brow lifted above Sora's eyes as he swiped it from her grasp and untied the baby blue string.

"H-Hey! What are you doing?" Kairi scowled as Sora made a reach for one cookie.

"I wonder how bad this must be," Sora mocked, inspecting the edible item. It was a simple sugar cookie frosted with pink icing and red and white heart-y sprinkles. His mouth opened, welcoming the cookie into a salivating chamber. Kairi held her forehead in disbelief as Sora chewed his first bite. In less than a second, Sora started coughing and hacking violently, clutching his stomach as he did so.

"Sora!!" Kairi gasped, holding on to his shoulder and trying to face him.

Sora stopped suddenly and looked up at her with a pleasing smirk. "Gotcha."

"Don't do that! You nearly gave me a heart attack!!" Kairi scowled.

Sora ignored and swallowed the content in his mouth, feeling the sugar slid down his throat.

_This is pretty damn good..._

Taking another bite, he started on the trail home. Kairi watched him go with an incredulous look.

"Hey, you coming or what? We gotta visit Naminé before the day ends."

Kairi pouted and followed after, watching him consume another cookie from behind.

_He didn't say how it tastes..._

Her train of thought was interrupted when he swiftly handed her back the bag. Wiping his hands together, he licked his lips happily as the taste remained in his mouth. Kairi sighed and placed it back in between her binder and chest.

"So...?" Kairi started.

Sora looked back. "So what?"

A pout formed her face. "What did you think of my mistakes?"

He scratched his chin, trying not to make his response sound corny.

"Not bad," he replied calmly.

_That's it?_

Kairi sighed. "Oh. Thanks."

Usual silence was shared between them as they continued on to the train station. Sora's hands were in their rightful place in his pockets as his jacket covered the upper region. Singing a tune in his head, he felt an awkward twist in his stomach.

**Ggggrrrooooowwwllllllll...**

"Ugh," Sora grunted as he placed a hand over his stomach. Yep, he was hungry.

**Ggggrrrooooowwwllllllll...**

VERY hungry. Those two cookies probably triggered his hunger. His ears picked up on light giggling from the back as he stared at Kairi chuckling way too cutely for his own good and quickly faced forward again.

"Hungry?" she asked.

His blush activated as she was now walking beside him, grazing his shoulder.

"REALLY hungry..." he trailed off as his stomach made another loud growl. It was killing him how Kairi chuckled like that.

"Maybe your mom has something good cookin' at home," Kairi reassured. That didn't help, as the brunette's tummy kept whining at him to put SOMETHING in it for it to digest. Sora honestly could not tell what was getting the better of him, his hunger or Kairi's enchanting giggles. He felt utterly pathetic as he trudged on home with his best friend. The sky quickly turned in twilight, giving the town its famous name. The train ride zoomed out of Sunset Hill and onto Twilight's platform. Like always, the passengers leaked out and proceeded on their merry way into the cold. The stroll home was quit enjoyable for Kairi as Sora's stomach kept grumbling uncontrollably.

_Fooooddd..._

Sora hastily swung open the door, hoping to find a large, bountiful feast for a king lined up on the table, but alas, a dark house and a note was all that was left on the table. If he wanted to, he could cry, but not if Kairi was there. Instead, she flipped a switch and walked over to the note, inspecting it within her hands. It wasn't really a note, but an envelope with words scribbled on the front.

"You're mom's at an important meeting right now," she informed loudly enough for Sora to hear. He walked over miserably and inspected the message. Suddenly, he dropped himself on the table, feeling his stomach eat away at him.

"Damn it, so hungry..." Sora whined lowly.

Kairi shook her head and examined the envelope one more time, when she felt something else folded within the sleeves, Her hands reached in and received a handful of golden specs. She set them down as her eyes also saw another slip of paper inside. Kairi straightened out the note and read:

_"I apologize that I won't be able to cook anything. You two must be very hungry, so I left 5,000 munny for you. I'll see you guys tomorrow! Oh, and, Kairi, if you're reading this, your mother just called while you were at school and she wanted me to tell you that she and your father misses you very much. They've sent a postcard and package for you and will be arriving shortly this week or the next. Have a goodnight guys!"_

A smile formed as she read the note, then looked at the back of Sora's head, for his face was too busy being smushed against the wooden surface.

**Bonk!**

"Ow! Crap Kairi! What was that for?!" Sora wailed as he massaged his firmly pressed nose. Kairi giggled as she saw the foggy imprint of his squished face on the table, disappearing slowly. Kairi tapped the money on the able, getting Sora's full attention.

"You're mom left munny for us," she informed, seeing Sora's face brighten up. "What do you wanna eat?"

Sora's brain wasn't functioning properly as his mouth started salivating even more. "I don't care, as long as it's tasty and delicious and scrumptious and-"

"Okay okay, well go out to eat then. Before that, we gotta visit Naminé so I can give her the cookies," Kairi interrupted, smiling at Sora's monstrous appetite.

Sora immediately went upstairs to put his things away and change in out-going attire. Kairi had just finished placing all the munny in a spare pouch and proceeding up the stairs when Sora bursted out of his room wearing a dark jean jacket with the same color pants and a maroon long sleeve under. His crown chain glistened brilliantly under the light. He looked at Kairi and pouted a big one.

"You're still not ready?! Come on, let's get going to Nam's house so we can eat!" he complained. Kairi calmly proceeded into her room.

"Calm down speedy," she replied before shutting her door. After waiting an agonizing five minutes, Kairi came out in plain light jeans and a long sleeved pink shirt. A medium-sized pursed hung over her shoulder carrying the cookies, munny, and whatever she thought necessary for dinner tonight. Sora glanced at her neck, finding it awkwardly bare when he remembered.

_Crap, that necklace I just bought... Nah, I'll just give it to her when Christmas comes around._

He shrugged off the thought and put on his usual pout.

"Great, can we go now?" he quickly asked.

Kairi nodded. "Let's get going."

After stomping down the stairs and going through the tremendous effort of putting their shoes on, well, for Sora anyway, the cold air met with their faces After Sora locked the front door securely. Kairi felt the chilly breeze uncomfortably going in the opening of her shirt and shivered a bit.

_I'll be fine. Nam's house is just around the Shopping District._

Without a hesitation, the two went on their way to the poor sick blonde's house. Passing lively Shopping District, the pair turned two corners and found themselves in an entirely new complex. The houses were subtle and small, giving it a cozy-feeling while the healthy trees swayed lazily with the wind. Sora looked around curiously, wondering why he hasn't seen this part of Twilight Town before. Kairi lead the way, trumping up the wooden steps and stopping in front of the door. Her delicate finger pushed the button, making a bell noise resonate within the household. A delicate woman opened up, having the same blue eyes Naminé possessed but with tan tousled hair.

"Oh, hello Kairi. You must be here to see Naminé," greeted kindly the adult.

Kairi nodded and smiled. "We sure are. May we go up to see her?"

She nodded and let the two inside the warm domain.

"Ah, and this must be your boyfriend, Sora?" the woman asked, acknowledging him.

Sora stopped slipping off his shoes and nervously looked up at the woman who smiled at him. "H-Huh?!"

Kairi laughed nervously. "Oh no no no no no! He's my best friend!"

Naminé's mother quickly covered her mouth. "O-Oh, forgive me! You see, Roxas is upstairs keeping Naminé company. He notified me that you were coming with Sora, your boyfriend."

Like a rose, the two bloomed in different shades of red.

"H-Ha ha! Roxas that joker," Sora iffily laughed.

_I'm gunna kill him..._

The woman chuckled and allowed them to finish removing their shoes.

"Follow me," she instructed kindly and began going up the spiral stairs. The two obediently followed, eyeing the paintings on the wall that Naminé must've done and the various antiques scattered around the house. After passing down a narrow hall, the three came to a stop at a plain white door with a small sign that read "Naminé's Room". Kairi smiled as she noticed a small set of words at the very bottom saying "Kairi was here" followed by a small heart.

**Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!**

"Oh, that's the telephone, you two help yourselves in, I'll be right back," Naminé's mother said and hurried off downstairs. The two nodded and Kairi gently knocked three times.

**Knock! Knock! Knock!**

"Come in!"

Kairi twisted the handle and was welcomed by the white room with its walls plastered with photos of friends and various drawings. Roxas was on a chair, facing Naminé neatly tucked in her bed and sat upright. Her pale face erupted into a smile.

"Hi Kairi, Sora, did you have trouble coming here?" she asked. Roxas looked over his shoulder and smiled to them.

"Not at all," Kairi answered, noticing the tidbit of hoarseness in her voice. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit better," Naminé said before a small cough. "Just waiting for whatever's causing my sickness to be killed."

"I see. Well, here you go," Kairi said, placing a small package in Roxas's hands. He gave it to Naminé, who opened it curiously and beamed when she witnessed what was inside.

"My favorite sugar cookies! Thanks a ton, Kairi!" Naminé said cheerily.

Deciding he was silent way too long, he pretended to cry on Naminé's hands. "Oh my god, my princess is smiling again! It's a miracle!"

"What are you talking about? I've always been smiling," Naminé laughed as she patted Roxas's head. Kairi giggled too, when Sora remembered the wise-guy comment Roxas gave to Naminé's mother. He brushed past Kairi and gave a satisfying bonk on his cousin's head.

"Ow! Sora that hurt! Can't you see I'm bawling over here?" Roxas scowled.

"That's for saying stupid things to Nam's mom about me and Kairi," Sora scoffed as he shoved his hands in his pockets. Naminé giggled as Roxas rubbed the bump on his head.

"Oh yeah, that," Roxas sheepishly remembered. "C'mon, it's just a joke, right?"

"I don't know. You tell me. You're the one who said it," Sora glared.

Kairi sighed and shook her head while taking Sora's arm from behind. "Come on, we gotta go. We'll see you later Naminé. We hope you feel better."

Naminé nodded. "Okay, I'll see you later. And thanks again for the cookies," she bade while Roxas waved. Sora gave a threatening glare at his grinning cousin before being dragged out of the room. After saying their good-byes to Naminé's mother, who was still on the phone, they went back outside into the icy atmosphere.

"What now?" Sora asked.

"I thought you were hungry," Kairi reminded, giving him a side-glance.

His stomach started rumbling on cue.

"Right," Sora agreed embarrassingly as Kairi smirked.

"Come on, I know a really good place," Kairi informed and began to lead the way. Sora followed eagerly, trusting her taste in food as she walked back into the Shopping District illuminated with yellow against the young night. Where Kairi was taking him, Sora had no clue as they emerged into a whole new district with brimming lights and various open shops. It was lively, like a festival, and the two weaved in and out of tourists making their way to a simple little restaurant. Sora examined the sign, speaking the words mutely.

"Little Island?" he asked.

Kairi nodded and pushed the door open followed by a jingle.

"Welcome!" cried a waiter and rushed over with a pad. "What may I do for you tonight?"

"A table for two, please," Kairi informed politely.

The waiter nodded. "Of course, little missy. If you two would please follow me."

Sora half-heartedly followed after while glancing around at all the um, ahem, COUPLES, everywhere. The food on their tables looked delicious, enough for Sora to start salivating again. When they were seated at a comfy spot near the window, Kairi took notice of how Sora looked around nervously.

"What's wrong?" she asked, looking to wherever he was looking.

"N-Nothing," he said, holding the large menu up to his face.

Kairi shrugged and did the same, trying to find her favorite meal she would always get. Another waiter trotted up to their table and smiled widely.

"Anything to drink for you two?" he asked.

"Lemonade would be fine," Kairi said.

"Same for me," Sora added.

"Alright. I'll be right back," said the waiter and strut off in another direction.

Kairi resumed looking at the menu when Sora interrupted.

"So uh, what are you getting?" he asked peering over his menu.

"Ahhh..." Kairi mumbled, still looking for her choice when she pointed to it. "Ah! Here, I'll try the Destiny Delight. It sounds like the one mom used to make back in Destiny Islands."

Sora shrugged. "I'll get whatever you're getting."

"What if you don't like it?" she asked, settling the menu down.

"Please, Kairi. Right now, I'll eat anything," Sora informed sternly.

Kairi giggled softly when their waiter came up with their beverages.

"Two lemonades," he recited as he set it down before them. "Are we ready to order?"

Kairi nodded. "Just two Destiny Delights please."

The waiter bowed after scribbling on the pad. "Right away!"

Sora watched the guy leave with a weirded out expression. "He kinda scares me."

"Yeah, just a little," Kairi agreed. "So, what will we do for the upcoming festival?"

Sora sipped through his straw, feeling a taste of delicious lemon in his dry mouth. "Um, go?"

Kairi sighed. "Well yeah, but what will we DO there?"

"How should I know?" Sora asked, setting his cup down. "It's my first time going to one of these things."

Kairi pouted. "Don't be stupid. We always went to festivals in Destiny Islands."

"The festivals were different each year," Sora stated.

Kairi sighed. "Okay, we'll just have to see when we get there. And you better not leave me. You still have to keep that promise."

That familiar memory flashed in Sora's eyes.

"Yeah yeah, quit your belly achin'," Sora droned, feeling his stomach gnawing at his insides. Right on cue, the waiter happily strolled back with their food in hand. Sora eyed the food like it was the last edible thing on the planet and started to dig in immediately.

"Enjoy," the waiter grinned and walked away.

Kairi smirked and lifted a brow as Sora kept scarfing down food.

"Good?" she asked.

"Defrishfrious (Delicious)," he replied sloppily, making Kairi laugh. She dug in too, tasting the familiar flavor that was almost a year ago.

"Mmmm, this is good!" she complimented and chewed another spoonful. The night went by, getting older and older by the hour as Sora and Kairi filled their belly's up with scrumptious food. Sora leaned back, holding his stomach in pleasure and feeling the food inside start to digest. Kairi put down her spoon and drank excessively at her lemonade, puckering her pink lips and feeling satisfied.

"Aaahhh, that was good," Sora said, patting his belly.

Kairi nodded. "Sure was."

"Oh my, hungry tonight, aren't we?"

The waiter took the empty plates and left a check on the table. "Thank you for eating at Little Islands."

The two nodded as the waiter disappeared again. Kairi sat up straight and took a glance at the check.

_Hm, not bad._

Pulling out her purse, she counted 3,000 munny and left some on the table for tip. Sora was too busy indulging himself in the pleasure of having a full stomach to even notice Kairi getting up.

"Come on, Sora. We gotta get home," she said, hovering over him.

"Five more minutes..." Sora wearily replied.

His eyes opened and found his auburn friend with crossed arms.

"Fine fine, I'm up," he said, hoisting himself up and following her out the door. Stars welcomed them into the cold from above, twinkling hello as they walked on home. Now that Sora wasn't drooling all over the place for something edible, he was completely content and somewhat a bit sleepy. Kairi was too, but was not shivering as the breeze kept brushing past.

_Yeesh! I thought this love-sleeve would help!_

Sora yawned widely when he felt a tremble graze his shoulder. He looked at his auburn friend and lifted a brow.

"Geez, you should've brought a jacket," he said crossly.

"I thought this long-sleeve would be enough," she replied.

He examined her attire, but from his height, he blushed immediately as her cleavage uncomfortably came into his view. Sora shut his eyes and began stripping himself of the jacket, revealing his maroon long-sleeve. Before Kairi could look at what he was doing, the jacket was thrown over her head. She peeked from under the fabric and at him.

"You didn't have to," she pitifully informed.

"Yes I do," he replied blatantly. "It's common courtesy for guys."

Kairi pouted. "You know common courtesy?"

"Oh shut up! Be grateful I gave you my damn jacket!" he scowled as Kairi laughed to herself. He felt his heart wrench at the sight of Kairi smiling when he kept a fowl frown. "How come you like ticking me off so much?"

Kairi died down her laughter. "I don't know. It's just that we've grown up teasing each other. I guess I'm just used to it."

Sora loosened his expression a bit, understanding now that Kairi is used to him, and that he is used to her.

Kairi peered up at him with big, blue eyes. "I'll stop if you're really getting agitated."

Sora found himself transfixed in her eyes, then blinked out of it. "Whatever. I don't care, as long as I get my share of taunts and teases."

A smile grazed her gentle lips, causing Sora to turn away furiously and flush his cheeks out. "Anyway, come on, I wanna go home and sleep."

Kairi nodded and began walking next to Sora on the way home under the chilly and sparkling night of Twilight Town.

**End Chapter 30**

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A/N: So? How was it? Did you like it? Kinda short, I know, but I had to put it in! xD I hope you guys aren't about to kill someone if Sora and Kairi don't kiss or acknowledge each others' feelings soon! Please review and thanks for reading!


	31. Keep Your Cool

A/N: 8D Another update! Which was quite long. 8C Well anyway, I hope you enjoy this one!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 31**

"Sora," Riku hastily said, taking up the brunette's hand and balling it into a fist. "Take this fist, and slam it HARD across my face."

Sora just looked at him like he grew another eye above his nose. "...What?"

"JUST DO IT!" Riku yelled, causing the group to jump back a bit.

"Riku, what's wrong?" Kairi asked.

"I need something to wake me up from this... this... DREAM! SORADOITNOW!" Riku insanely demanded.

**BAM!**

Sora stared wide-eyed and hyper-venelated, realizing what he just did as Riku staggered back, holding the cheek that his best friend socked. Kairi covered her mouth in horror as everyone else stared wide-eyed in disbelief, mostly Tidus.

"Hehe... That-That hurt... So this IS real!!!" Riku maniacally announced. Olette squeezed Hayner's hand for dear life, Tidus quivered behind a shocked Yuna, and Roxas and Naminé were busy trying to calm him down. Kairi looked to Sora and wondered what in the world became of his friend!

"Riku, get a hold of yourself, man!" Roxas cried, patting his back.

"Riku, what's wrong? Did something happen?" Naminé asked, trying to peer into his eyes. Fortunately, she made a quick recovery from yesterday's sickness and was feeling better than ever, that is, until Riku started freaking out.

Just when Riku stopped his awkward chuckles, a gentle voice came from behind.

"Hey, Riku!"

"Eep!" Riku squeaked and began to stiffen as the person who called his name approached. The person was a delicate girl who had her long black hair up in a messy bun held up in a series of clips and big pink eyes. An innocent smile was placed upon her lips as her view of Riku came closing in. She pulled a thin notebook from the bundle of books hugged against her chest and handed it to Riku.

"Thanks for the notes, Riku! I appreciate it!" she warmly thanked.

"N-N-No problem, Ka!" he stammered ridiculously. The group looked to one another, then back at Riku and the girl named Ka.

She giggled. "I feel really lucky making such a nice friend, especially at my first day here."

Riku nervously laughed with her, causing chills to surge down everyone's spines.

Ka took a look at her watch and frowned a bit. "Well, I have to go now! I got work pretty soon. I'll see you tomorrow Riku!"

"Y-Yeah! Tomorrow!" he called back, waving a bit too fast for his masculine arm. Ka disappeared down the sidewalk and made a sharp turn, leaving Riku to gulp and the group to look at him like he was insane.

"Who was that?" Hayner asked with a smirk.

"Th-That's Ka," Riku stuttered.

"She seems nice," Yuna giggled.

Riku nodded and gulped again. "Y-Yeah, she is."

"Dude, your stuttering is starting to scare me," Sora admitted.

Riku shook his head violently. "You don't understand man! Whenever she's near me, I start stuttering like an idiot!"

"But she's not here anymore," Tidus pointed out.

"Her presence still lingers," Riku creepily said.

"So, are you like, weirded out by her?" Naminé asked.

Riku shook his head again. "No way! She's really awesome and stuff, it's just-just the things she makes me do!"

Kairi gave a concerned look. "Like?"

Riku started motioning quickly with his hands. "Like-Like she gives me weird feelings in my stomach! And I start heating up whenever she's near me! And then there's this one time when I thought my chest would explode when she accidentally slipped on me when I showed her to her class!"

The group looked at each other in confusion. Riku, the calm dude always leaning against a tree, putting on a deadly smirk that killed all of the girls in his range, or just seemed carefree and outgoing, freaking out and acting like a maniac? Over a GIRL no less?! I mean, come on! This is the dude who the girls WANT! And he's quivering and cowering with fear over a girl who's a new transfer?

"Soooo, you like her?" Selphie smiled.

Riku gulped. "N-No way! I mean, we're friends and all! But how can I like her?! I'M THE SCHOOL'S CHICK MAGNET FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! I attract them! Not get attracted TO them!"

Hayner patted his back sympathetically. "Well buddy, we have to be something we're not SOME time."

"Conceited-much..." Sora muttered.

"Well anyway," Kairi said, logging out Sora's snide comment. "Maybe we can get to know this Ka."

Selphie nodded. "I bet she knows a LOT about fashion! Those clothes were totally cute!"

"She also looks very intelligent! I wonder what grade she's in," Olette asked herself.

"She's in my grade, but a year younger than me," Riku sighed.

"Awesome! Do you think she likes blitzball?" Tidus asked.

"Hey Riku, after school tomorrow, introduce us to her, will ya?" Roxas asked.

"That's a great idea! And then, Riku and Ka can go together to the festival!" Selphie squealed.

He nodded. "Fine. But don't make fun of me if I stutter."

"We won't. We'll do it after she leaves," Sora plainly stated, earning a glare from the silver-haired teen.

Kairi giggled. "Don't worry Riku. We'll only be making friends with her, not humiliating you."

"Thanks guys," Riku sighed and ruffled his long, glimmering hair. "Anyway, I gotta go. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

The group waved to each other and went their separate ways. Kairi and Sora began their journey of walking back home, wondering what kind of friend Ka was like.

"She's pretty cute, even though older chicks aren't my style," Sora commented.

"Yeah, she is," Kairi agreed, ignoring an envious lurch her heart made. "I wonder how Riku feels about her."

Sora shrugged. "He just met her today, but he's stuttering and what not like an idiot whenever she's around, so I don't know."

"Kinda hard to believe though," Kairi said with concern. "We're talking about RIKU here. The guy who never looses his cool, yet he's loosing it because of a girl he just met today. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just, well, it's not Riku!"

Sora nodded. "My thoughts exactly."

Twilight followed after the blue sky as the train ride home continued its was back to the Shopping Districts of Twilight Town. Now that the festival was tomorrow, the streets have been quite busy for a Thursday. Sora and Kairi had a hard time mazing through the countless people setting up tents and stands for the event. Once gratefully reaching Sora's home, the two were greeted by a delicious aroma and warm air. Sora's mother poked her head from the kitchen.

"Welcome home, dears!" Sora's mother greeted.

"How was school?" Sora's father asked, peeking cheerily over his newspaper.

"It was boring like any other day," Sora huffed after slipping off his dress shoes, feeling the un-necessity to tell of Riku's event today.

"It's only boring to you because you don't try to have fun," Kairi laughed and following after.

"That's right! You should listen to Kairi more often, son," his father lectured.

Sora shot a glare behind him and proceeded up the stairs. "We'll be upstairs doing homework."

"Come down for dinner in about ten minutes!" Sora's mother called. "And prepare your kimonos!"

"Okay!"

The night went on casually with the two finishing up any assignments due for the week and rushing downstairs because of the swaggering aroma emitting from the kitchen. Dinner was delicious, compliments to Sora's mother, and rested inside four stomachs: one of them holding the most chewed food, which was Sora's. Sleepiness called from the hints they received from their falling eyelids and went to bed and hour later, for it wasn't healthy to sleep right after consuming a meal. It was nearly impossible to sleep with all the whistling and shouts coming from the outside for the festival, but Sora and Kairi managed through, getting a decent sleep. Morning slipped in no time and was filled with excitement and curiosity toward the event despite the chilly atmosphere.

"Okay, we'll be going now!" Sora called before opening his front door.

"Have a good day you guys! And remember! Don't wait for us to go to the festival!" Sora's father replied merrily.

"Right! Bye!"

Slamming the door shut and locking it after Kairi followed, the streets were just an endless sea of people going here and there. Everything in the area was decorated with little dangling trinkets and bells while signs of the "Fall Festival" pointed in a general direction to where the fun and games were as well as the scrumptious food. Sora and Kairi stayed close together, miraculously making their way to the train station in one piece. The train ride was still as crowded as ever, but the thing that made it even more claustrophobic than it usually is was the shopping bags held in each passenger's hand or arm. After arriving in Sunset Hill, the activity was similar to that of Twilight Town's districts.

"Damn it! There are too many people here!" Sora cursed as he stopped when the little lady in front of him did so, inspecting a vibrant poster. Kairi clung to his sleeve, almost being shoved right into his arm from the people behind.

"Tell me about it," Kairi agreed, peering behind her shoulder when Sora thrust forward forcibly, dragging her along for the ride.

The iron gates of the school closed in as the three buildings became larger and more tower-like. The couple strut past irritably and immediately stopped at the group's morning hang-out.  
"Sora!" Riku called, seizing him by the shoulders. "Does my hair look okay? Is there anything on my face? Are you sure there isn't a pimple? How about my cologne? Does it-"

"Riku, your hair looks fine like it always does, there's nothing on your face, not even a pimple, and I'm pretty sure Ka doesn't give a flying fart about your cologne since you always use the same one," Sora grimly interrupted.

"We tried telling the dude that he'll be fine," Axel sighed.

"I guess three times wasn't enough," Roxas droned as his fingers laced with Naminé's.

"It was also kind of hard trying to calm him down a bit," Naminé added. Kairi cocked her head a bit at Riku, getting the feeling that her accusation of Riku having a bit of feelings towards Ka was correct.

She patted his arm reassuringly and gave a warm smile. "I'm sure Ka doesn't really care about these certain things. After all, you're her first friend since she came here, right?"

Riku nodded.

"Then relax! You guys will do fine!" Kairi lightly laughed.

"Thanks Kairi," Riku hopefully said letting go of his best friend's shoulders.

"By the way, are you taking her to the festival?" Sora asked, rubbing the sides of his arms.

Riku nodded again. "I was thinking about it, but I always get too nervous! I'm afraid I'm going to make an idiot out of myself!"

"Honestly dude, it's better to be a man about it and ask her looking like and idiot or not than to not ask her at all," Axel lectured.

"That's right," Kairi agreed. "After all, the festival is today, so practically anyone can ask her within the next few min-"

"CRAP, YOU'RE RIGHT!" Riku frantically yelled, making everyone jump back. "I gotta find Ka quick and ask her!"

**Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!**

"No worries, we'll help you. And when we see her, we'll tell her to find you as soon as possible," Roxas suggested.

Everyone else nodded at the silver-haired adolescent.

"Thanks guys. Okay, so that's the plan. I'll see you all after school."

After a nod in unison, the six broke apart and set out to class, keeping an eye out for black hair held in clips and pink eyes, or something closely related to that. Classes seemed to move in a blur as the festival edged closer and closer with each second. After third period and the beginning of lunch, there was still no sign of Ka. Riku began to worry that someone might've asked her before he could even have the chance to greet her with a "Good Morning". His steps began to slow down a bit as the first lunch bell resonated throughout the school. He found it hopeless trying to find her since two and a half hours already passed. I mean, she was absolutely cute enough to be asked out to something like the festival. His lips slipped a sigh as the hallways crowded with students, feeling his heart sink when a small tug came on his shirt sleeve.

"Riku?"

His face turned to none other than Ka, who smiled brilliantly at him with the same glossy lips.

"Oh, good morning Ka," Riku said as calmly as he could without letting the stutter get to him.

She nodded. "Good morning to you too! I've been trying to find you," she informed, making his inside flare up.

"M-Me?" Riku asked, pointing to himself. After noticing what he just did, he mentally kicked himself multiples times.

"Who else?" she giggled. "I just wanted to ask you about this festival everyone is talking about."

_Awesome! I didn't have to bring up the subject! Okay Riku, just ask her nice and easy now..._

"Y-Yeah, um, what about it?" he asked, now mentally punching himself in the face.

_You idiot! You're supposed to ask her TO it! Not ABOUT it!_

"Oh, not right now though, how about after school in the front?" Ka asked, seeing the student population lessen in the hallway.

_Damn!_

"Sure! That's fine! And, uh, I'll introduce you to my friends while we're at it!" he brightly suggested.

Ka nodded happily. "Sure! I'd like that! Okay, so right after school. Don't forget!"

Riku waved back as her running image disappeared down the hallway. "I-I won't!"

He stood there for a moment, taking in the heating sensation that just started swirling around his chest. He hoped that it was just his hunger screwing with him, but the only evidence that spoke against that was his heart thumping rapidly.

_Stop standing there like a statue and get some food already!_

Riku twirled instantly on his heels and strut off to his normal lunch. When meeting the outside, his ears picked up on a bunch of girl twittering with giggles as their favorite hunk stepped out from the double doors. Riku found this opportunity to test out if he still had his groove. In a flash he side-glanced them, giving a dashing smirk and dreamy aquamarine eyes that narrowed in on them dangerously.

"Oh my god! Did you see that?!" hushed on of them girls.

"He's such a hottie!" squealed another.

"I seriously want some of that," another demanded creepily.

Riku sighed in his head, relieved that he still had it, but something wasn't right. How come he couldn't act that way towards Ka? Wait...

_Are you saying you're TRYING to get her?_

Riku walked on like nothing was bothering him, but in his mind, that was completely false. He couldn't decide whether Ka had some kind of influence on him or that she was some kind of mage who bewitched him. Either way, his mind started to confuse itself. Lunch had passed by quickly as he consumed his wrap quickly and taking a sip from a water bottle. In his last class, History, the instructor droned on and on about some war and its significance to our present time. Riku found himself staring at a blank piece of paper, which was supposed to be used for notes, when his mind flashed before his vision.

----------Flashback----------

_Last Sunday, Riku decided to take a wide stretch outside of his house despite the coldness. Rolling his elbows to get the joints in his arms moving, he noticed a large truck parked down the street from him in front of the house that was vacant for a little over a week. A sturdy, but muscular-looking old man was seen hoisting two boxes and marching into the house. His head cocked a bit when a woman in her late-twenties, early-thirties, rush out and ushered him inside._

_"Hm. Probably another old couple again. I hope they're not grouchy like the last," Riku mumbled to himself as he started stretching out his legs, feeling the pull on his hamstrings. His eyes focused back on the new arrivals when he noticed a slender girl brushing past and hopping into the truck's back. Riku's 20/20 vision kept its intensity on this girl, who staggered out with a terrifyingly huge box. Without a second's notice, he jogged over and caught the box just before it decided to collide on the poor girl._

_"Sorry about that, miss," Riku politely greeted. "But I couldn't help but notice you were struggling with your boxes."_

_The girl looked into his aquamarine ones, glistening with soft pink hues._

_"Thank you very much," she smiled brightly._

_**Ba-Bump!**_

_Riku scrunched his eyes a bit, not noticing how long he had been staring at her since he was too preoccupied with his unrhythmic heart beat._

_"Um, sir, are you okay?" she asked, getting his attention again._

_He shook his head. "U-Uh, yeah. Just spaced out a bit."_

_The girl giggled, revealing the backside of her smooth black hair being held up in clips._

_"My name is Ka," she introduced politely._

_"I'm Riku," he nodded. It was strange how he felt a series of burning butterflies in his stomach roaming around playfully. Ignoring this strange phenomenon, he lifted the box from her tiny hands and gave a killer smile. "How about I help you with your stuff?"_

_Ka nodded. "I'd appreciate that."_

_Before stepping foot inside her new home, he took notice of a faint pink shade on her cheeks after his suggestion. The thing is, he didn't even know he had the same shade on his own. The house smelled of dust and wilted flowers, causing him to sneeze loudly. The reaction led to Ka's parents to look at him strangely._

_"Ah, mom, dad, this is Riku. He offered to help us," Ka came in before her parents decided to phone the police that a strange guy was handling their stuff._

_Introductions were exchanged, and their knowledge of Riku living up the street molded into their minds. After packing was done, Riku offered Ka and her family to meet his parents. It was a nice, happy, a bit corny, little reunion. Wasn't bad though, as long as Riku and Ka were friends at least. It seemed both of their fathers had a knack to go to the gym together and see who could bench the most. Ka laughed at this silly predicament while Riku sighed at his father's ego. It was time for Ka to go home, and her parents were already at their new house getting everything situated. Riku offered to walk her, even though she was just down the street. Somehow, the night time's stars that twinkled brightly didn't help Riku's butterflies that constantly kept bugging him._

_"Your mom makes the best cookies," Ka complimented._

_"She sure does. I used to eat ten of them when I was in middle school," Riku pointed out._

_"Now that, I can't imagine," Ka laughed cutely._

_Riku scratched his cheek wearily, wondering why his feet felt like a million pounds all of a sudden._

_"Anyway, do you know what school you're going to?" Riku asked._

_Ka nodded. "If I remember correctly, it's called Sunset High, or something like that."_

_Riku smiled widely. "Hey, that's where I go. I'll give you a tour around the campus."_

_"I'd like that!" Ka replied happily._

_"When do you start?" asked Riku._

_"On Friday, so I can get settled in for a bit," replied Ka._

_Her new home was right in front of them before they knew it. Riku said his good-bye, and Ka did likewise. From then on throughout that week, Riku would hang out after school with Ka in their local neighborhood, getting to know more about each other. Riku courteously showed Ka around town, naming the famous tourist spots and the Shopping Districts which were located around the corner. He also led her to Sunset Hill, where another series of shops were and before the day ended, he spared her a glance of her school, Sunset High. This week was like the time of his life: fast and fun, but he also wanted to know why the feelings in his stomach and head were going haywire. Riku, the god of interpreting feelings and body language (recall from Chapter 8), decided to interpret his own feelings and quickly came to a possible conclusion that struck him horribly._

_He was possibly in love._

----------End Flashback----------

**BANG!**

"WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN WHY?!" Riku panicked loudly, earning laughs and giggles from the class. His eyes fell upon a monstrous dictionary right on his blank sheet of paper.

"Glad you could finally join us, Riku," the teacher grinned.

"Sorry. It won't happen again," he sighed as the teacher lifted the dictionary off of his desk and proceeded back to the front of the class. How could he let his mind slip like that? It wasn't like him to NOT pay attention. After all, he's the high school hunk with his kept cool. The thing is, whenever Ka's around, he looses his cool and start fumbling idiotically with his words. After a sigh of relief form the final bell of the day, he jogged out of the class and weaved in and out of the hallways to the main front. Sora and Kairi were there, along with the person who made his heart summersault.

"Hey Riku!" greeted Ka.

"H-Hey!" he greeted back, wanting to secretly cry at his stutter.

Kairi giggled as Sora smirked at Riku.

"Oh yeah, Ka, this is Sora and Kairi. Two of my best buds," he introduced.

Ka nodded and shook hands with both. "Nice to meet you, Sora, Kairi. Are you two dating?"

"No, no we're not," Kairi stated calmly, getting used to this kind of thing.

In a flash, the rest of the group followed in one by one, waiting to be introduced to Ka. It was fast and awkward, but nonetheless enjoyable for the new girl.

"Okay guys! Today's the first day of the festival!!!" Selphie announced cheerily.

"Yeah! Come on, let's go home and change so we can go already!" Tidus agreed.

In a quick rush, the group split up in pairs going home and excitedly changing into their kimonos. Back at Sora's house, Kairi fumbled with her sash and stepped out of her door, seeing a waiting Sora in a Pthalo Blue kimono with maroon and yellow dragons dancing upon the silk. His sash was yellow, which complimented nicely with Kairi's purple one. He stared at her like she was the only flower left on a desolate field. Her kimono was a soft pink with wild flowers scattered here and there along with white streams zigzagging down. Her hair was put up with a pair of chopsticks, revealing her small, yet broad shoulders and a pair of glistening earring with pink flowers on them. Honestly, you couldn't tell which was pinker, Kairi's kimono, or Sora's face.

"Ready?" he asked, clearing his throat and trying to resist Kairi's charm. ESPECIALLY in that cute kimono which complimented her shape quite a bit for two layers of silk.

Kairi nodded. "Let's go!"

The two went out, carrying their bags of munny in Kairi's purple hand bag and stepped into the sea of people wearing different kimonos. Making their way around, they managed to find a comfy spot not too crowded under a poster and decided to wait for the others.

"I'll call," Kairi insisted as she pried open the small opening of her mini-purse and took out a cell phone. Sora waited impatiently as she called everyone, taking up at least a good ten minutes of their time. After shutting her phone and placing it back in its rightful place, Kairi turned her blue eyes to Sora's.

"Hey Sora," she said, getting his attention. If only Sora's eyes could land on some other feature of Kairi's other than her glossy, pink lips.

"What?" he asked.

"What do you think of Ka and Riku?" she asked, stepping closer to him.

He shrugged, ignoring the fact that their shoulders are touching and began scanning through the sea of people for any familiar faces.

"I think they should go together," he responded honestly.

"Me too," Kairi grinned. Sora blushed, even though he couldn't see her brilliant smile, but he felt it. "And I think I have a plan to get them together."

Sora looked to her. "You do?"

Kairi smiled mischievously, sending goose bumps down his skin.

_I can't decide whether or not I like that smile..._

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A/N: So? How was it? Did you like it? From what I remember, "Ka" means "fire", and I also remember one of the reviews stating that Riku should have a significant other by a similar name. I think it was oldcross, was it? D8 Well anyway, just to let ya know, I really did have this all planned out. I don't want anyone to accuse me of stealing another idea or something. Dx That would've been very bad, I just didn't want to give away anything, and yes, Riku needs a lot of love. xD I know it sounds really weird for Riku to start freaking out over a girl, but it's different, ya know? In a lot of fanfics, I've seen him keeping his cool around his loved one. So, then I though, what if Riku lost his cool whenever Ka was around? Well anyway, enough of my ramblings! Please review and thanks a bunches for reading! C8


	32. Festivity: Turn Up The Heat

A/N: Hey guys! Dx VEEERY late update, so shame on me. Also, I've got many reviews on Ka's name. Yes, I understand that Tetsuya Nomura adds on to the word, but you must also understand that I am not Tetsuya Nomura. xD I appreciate you guys telling me though. I don't know about you, but Ka sounds perfectly fine to me. xP Maybe it's just me, but oh well. I'm not changing her name anytime soon. Anyway, enough of my rambling, enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 32**

It was now unbearably crowded as Kairi dodged countless people in their kimonos. Her hair propped up in chopsticks began bobbing up and down as her head kept turning back and forth for something she was trying to find. Her eyes lit up as she immediately found her valuable destination.

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Sora tapped his sandals impatiently, feeling the awkward-ness of standing there alone ever since Kairi left him to go find "something". In a startling entrance, Riku huffed and used Sora's shoulder as a crutch for support. Sora lifted a brow.

"Why were you in such a hurry? And where's your kimono?" Sora asked, immediately staring at his jeans and sneakers. Riku immediately stood upright and inhaled deeply.

"Kimonos make me look weird," he bluntly replied.

"Then you practically wasted your munny on one," Sora smartly remarked.

"Just because I'm not wearing it today doesn't mean I'll never wear it," Riku snapped. "I'll probably wear it tomorrow or on Sunday."

Sora shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Riku shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling his black wrist band shift a bit. An uncomfortable prickle came on his back, which was covered by a black shirt. His silver brows furrowed as his same-colored bangs kept threatening to blind him. Sora noticed his nervousness and merely huffed.

"Would you calm down?" he asked.

"W-What are you talking about? I-I am c-calm!" Riku stuttered helplessly as Sora palmed his forehead.

"How long have you known Ka anyway? I could tell from earlier that you didn't just meet her today," Sora jeered, looking amongst the crowed for any of the group member's faces.

"I met her at the beginning of this week," Riku sighed. "She just moved in the neighborhood and I offered to help her settle in."

"And then?" Sora pushed on.

"Then we became friends," Riku stated plainly. "I started hanging out with her after school."

Sora nodded, feeling a bit angry that Kairi hasn't shown up yet. "And that's when you realized that you have a crush on her."

Riku felt as though tears would stream down his face. "B-But I don't even know if that's what it is!"

Kairi came running back, carrying a couple of pamphlets and her small hand bag.

"Hey Riku! How come you're not wearing your kimono?" Kairi asked.

"He said it makes him look weird," Sora scoffed mockingly.

Kairi giggled. "I see. So, did you ask Ka personally to the festival?"

Riku nervously shook his head. "She was so excited that she practically ran home! So I thought that maybe, she didn't want me to-"

"I thought you already asked her!" Sora yelled.

Kairi sighed. "Oh well! It doesn't matter, because I've come up with a brilliant idea."

Sora looked at her with lifted eye brows. "And what would that be?"

The auburn girl held up a pamphlet and handed it to Riku. He looked at it, scanning through the detailed image on it.

"What's this supposed to do?" Riku asked.

"Look inside!" Kairi laughed.

He did so, unfolding the contents and seeing a series of numbers listed by each event. Riku lifted a brow, then looked at Kairi.

"So, am I supposed to follow the order?" he asked dumbly.

Kairi nodded happily. "Yup! It should be a good plan for a romantic evening!"

The word "romantic" struck Riku hard like a giant boulder. "B-But-"

"Riku", Kairi interrupted seriously. "Tell me, do you WANT to be with Ka?"

Riku looked at his pamphlet indecisively. "Y-Yeah... I guess..."

"Alone?" Sora added, seeing where Kairi was going with this.

"U-Um," Riku mumbled.

"Answer honestly," Kairi smiled.

Riku gulped. "I-I do."

"Good!" Kairi lit up, patting him on the back and almost startling her silver-haired friend. "You see, you're still confused on whether you like Ka or not, right?"

Riku nodded.

"Well, use this plan as an opportunity to sort it all out," Kairi suggested.

Sora watched silently as Kairi comforted their best friend.

Riku took a deep breath and pumped out his chest. "Alright, I will!"

"Riku! Sora! Kairi!"

"EEP!" Riku chirped and quickly hid behind an exhausted-looking Kairi.

"Riku, it's only me," Olette laughed.

Riku gulped. "R-Right."

Hayner caught up from behind, fidgeting with his sleeves.

"Man, I hate kimonos," he complained.

"Guys!"

Soon, everyone leaked in from the group. First, Roxas and Naminé came hand-in-hand, second Tidus and Yuna came strolling along, and third was a flustered Selphie with an Irvine. No sign of Ka had yet to terrorize the nervous Riku.

"Riku you party-pooper. You don't have your kimono on you," Tidus whined.

"I'll wear it tomorrow or on Sunday," Riku irritably replied for the second time.

"So where's Ka?" Yuna asked looking around.

"Not here yet," Sora answered for a terrified Riku.

"Hm, maybe we should wait then," Roxas replied.

"Nah," Kairi said. "We should get started already! We'll go in pairs!"

"Sounds good to me!" Naminé happily agreed, clutching onto her boyfriend's arm.

"I'm game," Tidus added, blushing a little as Yuna giggled.

"Sounds great, call us if you guys need anything," Olette suggested as she took up Hayner's hand.

Kairi nodded. "C'mon Sora! Let's go have fun!"

Riku, the odd one out, felt his stomach turn inside out. His eyes quickly turned to a Kairi, who winked at him.

"O-Okay, I'll just w-wait for K-K-Ka," he stammered, trying to keep his act together.

As soon as Sora and Kairi were out of range, Sora said," Geez, he sounds like a shivering bird stuttering with her name like that."

"Oh hush, he's just nervous," Kairi shushed. Her eyes perked up at Sora's face, which was a deep shade of red. "Sora, are you okay?"

"Peachy," he replied bluntly. Why was he blushing at something so little as having Kairi's arm encircled in his? He held her HAND for crying out loud! Shouldn't he be used to this? Apparently not, as he cursed himself multiple times for being weak.

Kairi pouted. "Well, we should keep a close eye on them and make sure they'll be okay."

Sora felt his heart miserably lurch.

_Damn it! I wanted us to have fun!_

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Sora reassured impatiently. "Riku knows how to handle himself. At least, I think he does."

Kairi shook her head. "We can never be sure! Besides, Riku should have an enjoyable time with his date! It's about time Riku found someone he cares so deeply about!"

Sora sighed in defeat. "Fine, have it your way. Just don't have us get caught."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kairi frowned.

"'Cause this is your plan, and there's a chance you might have a flaw in it," he grunted.

"Whatever, c'mon! Let's get to work," Kairi said and tugged him towards a game stand with various prizes, keeping both of their blue eyes on a waiting Riku in the distance.

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His feet hurt, his back hurt, and most of all, his head hurt. His aquamarine eyes kept focused on the people, preparing himself for hopeless stuttering and fast heart rates if a certain black-haired girl came, staring at him with those glistening pink eyes.

_Damn it Riku! Get it together!_

He gulped and closed his eyes, trying to find peace within himself. Finding the strength to actually breathe, he exhaled slowly, feeling calmness overwhelm his body. Again, he inhaled, then exhaled, trying to keep his body under control. His eyes remained closed, oblivious to the world around and him and ignoring the sounds of laughter and shouts.

_Good, now just keep yourself like thi-_

"Riku?"

"GAAH!"

Ka jumped back a bit, wondering if she had possible awoken him from a deep sleep.

Riku felt as though a train was chasing after him at full speed and felt his heart thump faster and faster as he examined Ka in her kimono. The silk was a crimson red with yellow and white fish swimming on it along with white zigzags going down. Her green sash held her curved form perfectly as her sleeves hid her small hands. Little earring dangled from the side of her head as her hair was held up again, but with a large blood flower clip. She smiled reassuringly, causing Riku to blink at the hint of glimmer from her lip gloss.

"Sorry, did I disturb you?" she asked, cocking her head.

"N-No! N-Not at all!" he stammered, feeling like a complete fool. "I-I was just, um, meditating!"

_WHAT KIND OF LAME EXCUSE IS THAT YOU IDIOT?!_

Ka giggled. "I see. I didn't know you meditated."

Riku laughed nervously. "Ahaha... Well, sometimes I do, when I'm nervous."

Ka looked at him with big pink eyes. "Um, am I making you nervous?"

He stiffened drastically. "U-Um, no! It's not you, it's just that there are a lot of, people around."

"I see," Ka smiled, but soon turned into a look of concern. "Ah, where are your friends?"

"Don't you mean 'our' friends?" Riku corrected, feeling himself wanting to do a triumphant dance for his first success.

"Right," Ka giggled. "Our friends."

"They decided to um, go off in pairs," Riku started. "So I decided to wait for you, if, u-um, you d-don't mind g-going with me."

"Of course, Riku!" Ka smiled brilliantly. "I'd love to! We'll have a lot of fun!"

Riku managed to smile himself. "R-Right!"

"So," Ka said energetically. "What should we do first?"

Riku immediately forgot that he held a "plan" in his hand and unfolded the pamphlet. Ka peeked over, noticing the little numbers inscribed next to the events. Riku felt himself get hot as Ka grazed his shoulder.

"Did you plan on this?" Ka asked, pointing a finger.

He nodded. "Y-Yeah. I just thought that, maybe we'll have more um, f-fun this way."

Their eyes caught on the event that was number one.

"Okay then! Well, let's go and play some games!" Ka laughed as her fingers caught Riku's hand and began dragging him to the various game stands. In the distance, Sora and Kairi caught the two heading over to the far gaming stands from where they were at and looked at each other.

"Do we follow them?" Sora asked.

"Yeah, but we'll have to keep a far distance," Kairi said. "Let's go."

As they approached cautiously, they witnessed something very amusing. Ka had never let go of Riku's hand as they browsed around the energetic area. Kairi giggled to herself as Riku's tomato-like face gave it all away. As for Sora, he just chuckled to himself at Riku's lack of confidence. The breeze chilled uncomfortably, but the two ignored it as their sight was being kept on the innocent pair in the distance. There was a bit of difficulty trying to keep up with the distant pair since Ka was exceptionally thrilled and her excitement meter was off the charts along with a nervous breakdown who happened to have silver hair. Riku could hardly keep his heart from throbbing too intensely that it might tear out of his rib cage and splat on the ground. Heat never felt so hot, yet so pleasant as a massive amount of it developed in the hand Ka deliberately grasped as she led him around and about. The brunette and auburn couple followed cautiously, hoping that Riku wouldn't slip up and do something wrong to scare her away. For some reason, as Riku and Ka were at another game stand trying to win a stuffed panda, Sora felt a bit dizzy and was about to tumble over Kairi if he hadn't been supporting himself against the pole. He felt his insides flare up uncomfortably and wonder why he felt his temperature rising. Sora decided to ignore it as Kairi decided to make another move to hide behind a trash can, attracting abnormal looks from commoners. After successfully hitting the stacked bottles squarely in the middle, each went tumbling down, causing the game stander to whistle.

"We've got a winner!" he announced loudly.

Riku laughed nervously as Ka gave him a big and heart-warming hug.

"Thank you, Riku! I owe you one!" she cried as her arms found their way around his neck.

"No problem! Y-You don't have to owe me anything," Riku sheepishly replied. He wondered how Ka couldn't feel the heat his face emitted since they were practically cheek to cheek.

"So, what do we do next?" Ka asked after receiving the stuffed panda.

"You don't want to play anymore games?" Riku asked also, staring at the numerous game stands.

"We're going to need another bag if we're going to keep playing," Ka giggled as she pointed to the bag of stuffed toys hauled over her silver-haired friend's shoulder.

"Eh, right," Riku mumbled. He set down the load and unfolded the pamphlet again, reading the event marked with a "2".

"Ah! There's a sparring match going on! It's called 'Struggle'," Ka excitedly informed as she looked at Riku.

Riku, on the other hand, wasn't so excited. It wasn't that he didn't know how to fight with a weapon, heck, he's exceptional at it! The thing that made him uneasy was that Kairi in the distance was giving him the thumbs up, which meant "go and join so you can show the love of your life what your made of!" Riku gulped a bit, wondering if he should skip this event because of his chances of making a fool of himself.

"Riku?"

"Huh? Uh yeah, yeah, let's get going then," Riku nervously said, stepping in the direction of the sparring match with Ka following.

Kairi punched the air in success. "Alright! It's going just as planned!"

"Way to go," Sora droned unenthusiastically. He shivered a bit as intensely cold air brushed past his face, now making the tiny twinge in his head actually turn into a headache. His large hands cupped around the slightly heated forehead, getting the feeling that he was actually going to be sick. Kairi immediately got up, seizing his hand in the process and dragged them to their next hiding spot.

Meanwhile, Riku and Ka had just reached the sparring area, where a few dozen people gathered around and cheered with the pair that faced off in the wooden-fenced ring. The large, extravagant sign that indicated the event read "Struggle". Ka took Riku's hand once again (making him go into another furious blush) and pushed past the crowd, seeing the battle clearly. Just as the two looked as though they would collide into each other, the man with silver hair that flared outwards thrusted the blue bat into his opponents hands, disarming him of his weapon and collected the pink orbs that fell to the ground.

"And the winner, our defending champion, Setzer!" the ref. announced.

The crowd clapped, cheered and whistled as the man named "Setzer" flicked his hair back, earning squeals and chants from the females. Even Ka was clapping enthusiastically for the guy, which made Riku even more nervous about his entry.

"Would anyone else like to take a gander at our champion?" the ref. asked through the mic.

Riku stayed still, seeing if anyone had the guts to go up while Ka scanned around for anyone willing to show up in the ring. Meanwhile, Kairi and Sora were on the other side of the arena, frowning at Riku for not making a bold move.

"Gah, fine, I'll do it for him," Kairi snapped and weaved through the crowd. "Stay here, I'll be right back."

"Yes mom," Sora mocked, earning a bigger frown from her before disappearing behind the flock of people. Her kimono made it harder for her to keep herself from stumbling since the lower part constricted her legs from making a long stretch. When she finally reached the edge of the arena, she tapped the ref's shoulder and whispered in his ear eagerly," Call out Riku. He's been waiting for his turn and might've forgotten since he was with his girlfriend."

The ref. nodded and held the mic to his large lips. "Riku! Wait no more, for it is now your turn!"

Riku's jaw dropped, welcoming in a few birds if it dropped any further while Ka excitedly gasped.

"You joined the match? Alright! Go Riku!" she said with a bubbly attitude.

His Adam's apples slide down his neck, creating a gulping noise that implied "Oh crap I'm done diddly."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the arena, Sora had a hand to his forehead, checking the temperature and felt an uncomfortable prickle glide against his entire body. Unaware of his immensely rosy cheeks, he spotted Kairi weaving her way back to him.

"Real smart there, Kairi," Sora said, putting down his hand.

"I know," Kairi smiled, unaware of the bit of sarcasm in his voice.

Riku hesitantly made his way across the fence and walked up to the ref. miserably. How in the world did he get into this? Well, it wasn't SO bad, since Ka was on the sidelines cheering him on. The chunky ref handed Riku a small blue bat and explained the rules thoroughly to both contestants. Riku nodded, finding his glance fixed on his opponent's purple gaze. His smirk was a little irritating as he occasionally swept his hair against the cold wind form time to time.

"Okay fellas. Keep it clean," said the ref., ending his explanation of the game. The two proceeded on opposite ends of the area, twirling on their heels and facing each other. Setzer held out his bat with a grin of a Cheshire Cat, obviously beckoning him to make the first move.

Riku got in his fighting stance, and immediately charged head on. Feeling the heat drain out as the wind swooshed it past, his hair bounced furiously with each dashing step. Setzer's eyes grew wide and held his bat up, blocking the strike Riku had just enforced. Riku quickly stepped back quite a few feet away and began encircling around him slowly.

"Whoa! Way to go Riku!" Ka cheered happily, keeping her pink eyes on her silver-haired best friend.

Riku heard this, feeling the competition in him grew a tad bit along with his confidence.

"Is that all you've got?" Setzer asked, now taking the initiative to lunge. With less speed, Riku instantly saw this action and side-stepped, doing a flip while he's at it in the air if Setzer decides to poke his bat at him. After Setzer's reaction timing, Riku took this to his advantage, darting at him with his bat and striking him squarely in the stomach, pushing him back quite a bit. A few blue balls dropped on the ground as Riku made a round-trip, collecting each and every one of them. He was sweating a bit and was unaware of the crowd's amazed expression, claps and cheers for him as Setzer staggered back onto his feet.

"Heh, I'm impressed," Setzer admitted cockily. "Let's see you try and dodge this!"

Riku's eyes widened at Setzer's massive speed increase as a million blue bats poked at him at greet speed. He managed to evade all of them, not earning him a single scratch as he retaliated and hi face quickly, knocking him back once again. His feet carried him around Setzer's landing area, collecting the balls he let go.

The ref.'s whistle suddenly made a screeching wail, indicating the end of the match. Wow, a minute has passed already?!

"This concludes our match!" The ref. announced. "Our winner today, is the underdog champion, Riku!"

Riku looked a bit fazed as the ref. held up his hand in victory and the crowd encircling the arena cheering loudly, especially Ka. She was practically jumping up and down waving her hands like a little kid. Riku felt his heart jump a bit too at his victory. The ref. gave Riku a small trophy with the Struggle bat as its symbol and a medal for participating. He walked over to where Ka was, jumping over and wiping his forehead nervously.

"Wow Riku, you were great!" Ka laughed, patting his shoulder.

"Heh, thanks Ka," Riku replied, finding it hard to even stutter if he's a bit worn out. He rubbed the back of his head as Ka goggled over the medal and small trophy, even by the warm compliments made by the audience.

Meanwhile, at the other side of the Struggle arena, Kairi was punching the air in success.

"All right!" she joyously cried. "Now all that's left is the Wishing Bell and the firework show!"

Sora sighed, a bit depressed that this day has been dedicated to Riku and Ka's set up instead of a fun time with Kairi and himself. Oh well, there's always tomorrow, right? Without a second's notice, Sora felt his head throb violently and his blood boiling.

"Nngh!"

Kairi's face dramatically changed as Sora's pained expression and hand held to his forehead worried her.

"Sora, are you okay?" she asked, trying to pry his hand off of his forehead.

He felt terribly dizzy and found that his breath was more noticeable than ever. "No, I don't think...so."

Kairi noticed his hard breathing, now worried sick for her brunette best friend. " Sora, did you come down with anything?"

Sora removed his hands, unable to focus his eyes. "I think so..."

Her delicate hand fell upon his forehead, along with her hand on her own forehead, comparing the two temperatures. Kairi's eyes flew open at the dramatic difference in heat and quickly turned to Sora's flushed face.

"Sora, you came down with a fever!" Kairi exclaimed, grasping his shoulders.

"Damn it," Sora mumbled feeling his posture give away.

Kairi quickly gave him support, having an arm wrapped around his waist while she pulled his arm over her shoulder. "Come on, we've got to get you home quickly."

Sora didn't respond, but didn't fight back. He was sick after all. The two pushed and shoved through the crowd, miraculously making it out in one piece. Kairi focused on Sora's condition, making sure to alert his parents once they came home. After passing a few decorated streetlamps and houses, they finally reached the street of their homes. Kairi's house was still dull and empty, while Sora's had a faint light on. After a painful five minutes of walking up the sidewalk and getting the key into the door hole, Sora staggered in resting on the couch as he felt sweat drip down his neck. Kairi quickly flipped open her cell phone and dialed Sora's dad's number while her eyes kept themselves on his face. Once he picked up, Kairi quickly explained and reassured them that they were home. Kairi nodded as Sora's father told her that they would be home as soon as possible.

"What did... he say...?" Sora huffed heavily, pitifully looking at Kairi.

Kairi sat down next to him. "They'll be here as soon as possible."

Sora swallowed hard, feeling the dryness of his throat and closed his eyes as the heat inside kept eating away at him. Kairi bit her lip nervously, having her hand rub his in comfort as wiping the sweat trickling down beside his ear. Sora couldn't tell if the new heat in his heart was threatening or not when Kairi touched his hand, but he decided not to think for now and just curled his fingers around her hand for company as he waited for his parents to come home and treat his fever.

**End Chapter 32**

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A/N: Well? How was it? Did you like it? DDD8 Sora caught a fever! Oh geez, I wonder what'll happen on the next day. xD Anyway, Ka and Riku had a bit of fluff going on. Wonder how the last part of their festival date went while Sora and Kairi were at home? Find out next chapter! Please review and thanks for reading! C8


	33. Festivity: Stay Home

A/N: DD8 Hey guys. Sorry about the ridiculously late update... My main computer started freakin' out and I lost the original file so I had to re-write it from scratch. Dx It was a pain, well anyway, I shouldn't keep you from reading this, because I know a good few of you out there adore fluff! So, enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Tetsuya Nomura and Square Enix do.

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**Chapter 33**

"Sora..."

In a swift motion, Sora's head cocked upwards, finding himself staring at the silhouette of an angel against the blaring sunset. Her hair bounced with the unpredictable wind, her hands neatly folded with each other, her pink dress stained with orange tint from the sun dancing and flapping behind her. He walked up to the beautiful creature slowly, watching the profile of her face develop.

"...Kairi?"

She turned to him and smiled as warm as the sun. Her blue eyes with hints of violet in them gleaming beautifully.

"Are you alright, Sora?" she spoke softly.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing or hearing. Was this really Kairi?

"Y-Yeah, but where-"

His lips refused to move as Kairi had placed a delicate finger to his mouth, still having that radiant smile upon her face. Sora's mind raced rapidly as Kairi leaned slowly forward, giving him the chance to see her beauty up close. Her body now touching his, but her finger still placed itself on his lips. His heart could not help but run around his rib cage five hundred times as Kairi's free hand placed itself upon his chest. After slowly withdrawing her index finger, he had to gulp a few times before speaking.

"K-Kairi, wh-what are you-"

She was still smiling as her other hand took its place on the other side of his chest. A giggle escaped her lips as Sora looked utterly confused, yet re as a beet even if the sun was pouring out orange.

Kairi began to lean forward, as though trying to plant a kiss on him. But instead, she leaned to his ear and whispered ever so softly into it. Sora felt heat rush down his body as she spoke.

"I love you."

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Sora's eyes shot open as he stared blindingly at the blank ceiling. His heart still throbbed in his chest, wanting to shatter his ribcage after witnessing a dream like that! Sweat slid down his forehead as he sat upright in his bed, now feeling the sickening heat return to his body.

He had the fever.

His head had trouble swirling up the memories of yesterday. Sora had never felt so sick in his life. His head hurt, his eyes hurt, his body hurt, his EVERYTHING hurt.

"Oh, you're awake."

"Gyyaah!!!"

Sora clenched his shirt, feeling his heart beat even faster as he saw Kairi standing in his doorway carrying a bucket of water and rags draped over her arms. She lifted a brow and shut the door behind her.

"Who put ants in your pants?" she asked as she pulled up a chair and sat down.

Sora didn't reply as he was too busy trying to mentally log away his dream of the auburn girl. Sighing at his rudeness (like always), she dunk a clean rag in the bucket and began ringing it thoroughly, watching the water being pushed out leak from her fingers. After doing so, she was about to reach over and wipe his face when he pulled away.

"K-Kairi, wh-what are you-"

_"I love you."_

His eyes grew extremely wide. "Wh-What did you say?"

Kairi lifted her brow further. "I said I'm going to clean you up."

The brunette sat there, looking dumbfounded when he interpreted her words more clearly and began to relax.

"Why? What did you think I said?" she asked concerningly.

Sora shook his head feverishly, feeling his brown locks slapping his face lightly. "N-Nothing, it's nothing."

Eyeing him suspiciously, she proceeded to his face and began wiping away the sweat trickling down. Sora closed his eyes and began to settle down as he let Kairi wipe away the sweat, the tension, and the heat. Kairi's soft and gentle strokes felt good on his burning skin as the rag did its duty.

Kairi didn't know how to react, for Sora's state of peace at the moment swept her away. She liked seeing him like that, and remembered earlier this morning when she came into his room.

_----------Flashback----------_

_Kairi slipped on some comfortable house clothing after going through the morning routine and walked out of her temporary room, finding herself looking at Sora's closed door. Making sure to be very quiet, Kairi turned the knob slowly and silently peeked into his room. She wanted to giggle out loud as she found Sora tangled in his blankets yet looking so relaxed. Tip-toeing over the scatter of clothing, she managed to make it to his bed and get a good glimpse at his sleeping face. A nostalgic feeling overcame. His face looked just like that time when he protected her from the thunderstorm sometime ago. A smile swept across her face as she crept back to the hallway and closed his door quietly and making her way downstairs hoping to find something cooked for her to eat._

_----------End Flashback----------_

After finishing up, she set down the rag and took up a new one, dumping it into the water and ringing it out once more. Sora opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Is there that much sweat on my face?" he asked almost sarcastically.

Kairi wanted to laugh, but decided against it. "No, this one's just to cool your head. Now lay down."

Sora quirked a brow. "But I'm awake."

Kairi put on a "yeah, so what?" face. "You don't think I know that?"

Not wanting to waste any energy arguing with her, he obeyed miserably and slid beneath his tangled covers, putting on a scowl as Kairi neatly placed the damp rag over his forehead.

"Where are my parents?" he asked grumpily.

"They're out working. They put me in charge of taking care of you," Kairi replied indifferently.

Annoyed at her tone, he zipped his lip and exhaled through his nose. Though he couldn't help but be nostalgic also. Quite a few months ago, he and Kairi were always cold to each other, insulting each other, teasing each other, and now, here he was being nurtured by her. His scowl turned into something that of a blank one. He came to the question of how he deserved this kind of treatment from her. He honestly didn't know the reason for her kindness towards him, for he knew she hated his guts, yet she sits before him, caring for him like a good friend, or something more...

It ached Sora as he realized how much he truly cared for her. He thought he'd never look at her that way after what happened back then, but she never left his mind. She always lingered somewhere, either physically, virtually, or mentally, giving him hope and the will to go forward. Her smile always being supportive and her words of encouragement always firing him up. It was strange how his heart reacted whenever she was around, like now. Sora felt his heart relaxing and beating comfortable as she just sat by his side. Though Sora may not realize how much he truly cherishes the girl, he wanted to know if she even felt the same way.

Kairi remained quiet as she sloshed the dirty rag carefully in the bucket, getting lost in her thoughts. Her heart seemed to be beating warmly for unknown reasons. Her violet blue eyes focusing on the soft ripples of the water in the bucket, when, she noticed her reflection staring right back at her. She never realized how much she changed. It's been a while since she took a good look at herself in a mirror. Without notice, she spotted Sora's eyes along with her reflection in the water, looking curiously into it. She look at him, and he look at her, feeling her heart skip another beat.

"What are you looking at in there?" Sora asked absent-mindingly slipping the rag off of his forehead.

She shook her head. "Nothing, I was just day dreaming."

Sora folded his arms. "Yeah, you do that a lot."

"Haha, very funny," Kairi mocked getting up and walking to his door. "Are you hungry or anything?"

He swallowed. "Just water is fine. I can't feel my saliva anymore."

She giggled a bit as Sora tried hard to salivate and left downstairs to retrieve his wish. Sora immediately looked in her direction, seeing her image disappear beyond the doorway. It always sent a slight ping of longing in his heart whenever her presence left. He sat there in his bed, folding the wet rag again and placing it above his head, just the way Kairi had left it.

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Kairi pushed for a couple of ice cubes, hearing the loud clunks and chunks being scraped off form the sides of the glass. She switched the glass's position and pushed for water. Watching the water fill up, she was lost in thought again. Sora's last action sent her into thinking-mode again. It always mystified her of why Sora would be so polite to other people, and yet so taunting and inconsiderate to her. There must be a reason, but for some reason, she did not want to know. She didn't need to know, because she felt so comfortable with the two being like this. Yes, the two will continue to insult and yell at each other, but now they are friends. Something they weren't for the last seven years. Something that they were in the beginning, and hopefully, will continue to be towards the end, or more...

Kairi found it strange at how at ease her actions have been, especially with Sora. Usually she would be cursing and beating the living daylight out of him, but today she wasn't. She wanted to care for him and make sure he's all better, to not see his sickly pale face frown and such. It sickened her as well. Kairi never found a reasonable conclusion to this feeling ever since she discovered it. She came to some, but it brought her to a dead end. But, there was one solution that kept coming back, and she still kept denying it. And that conclusion was...

That she loved him.

After feeling something cold and wet slipping down her hand, she quickly stepped back into reality and gazed dumbly at the overflowing cup with swimming ice cubes. After stopping the flow, she drained excess water carefully in the sink without letting the ice cubes slip out. After doing so successfully, she quickly rushed back upstairs, cursing herself for letting her thoughts take over her so easily. Her feet stumbled up the stairs and back into Sora's room, clumsily slipping the cup into his hands.

"Geez, you're always so ditzy," Sora remarked as he began to drink.

Wiping her hands of any water, she placed them on her hips. "Oh shut up. You shouldn't be insulting me since I'm the one taking care of you."

An arrow of guilt struck through Sora's heart as he heard this. It's quite true that he should be more considerate since she's spending her precious time taking care of him instead of doing something better like hanging out with Namine or prepping up for the festival. But as he realized this, he wanted to shoot himself in the head for thinking that way of Kairi. She's not heartless and inconsiderate like he is.

"Anyway," Kairi said, interrupting his thoughts. "What should we do in the mean time?"

Sora set his glass down on his night stand. "Well, I really can't do much since I'm cooped up in bed. You can go out and do something if you want. I'll be fine here."

Kairi crossed her arms and pouted. "I am not leaving you here by yourself, especially when you're sick. I'm too worried about you."

Way to strike at Sora's weakness again, Kairi! In an instant, Sora felt himself getting hotter than he already is. Though he did not know if it was threatening or relieving.

"Er, sorry," Sora said meekly, scratching the back of his head.

Kairi lifted a brow. "For what?"

"Well, I know I promised to take you to the festival. But..." Sora trailed off.

"It's okay," Kairi smiled. "I wouldn't go without you anyway because it's not the same for me."

He nodded, half-smiling, yet beaming brightly in his heart. It was things like this Sora cherished about Kairi. She really was an angel.

"So, what can we do?" Kairi said, looking hopefully around his ship-wreck room. Sora looked around also, only to frown at the Nintendo 64 laying in front of his television with four controllers still plugged in.

_I'm pretty sure she's not a gamer..._

"Hey, how about we play your Nintendo 64?" she asked.

Sora looked at her in confusion.

_Geez! It's like she read my mind!_

"Er, well, I only have a fighting game. It's called 'Super Smash Bros.'," he answered hesitantly. "And I'm pretty sure you're not a gamer-"

"How do you know?" Kairi asked, crossing her arms. "Tsk tsk tsk Sora. You obviously don't know me well enough."

She strode over, with Sora watching from behind, and bent down over the game console, switching on the button. She grabbed the first two controllers and tossed the first one to Sora, who clumsily caught it. After pushing the "on" button on the remote, she took her rightful place back on the chair, clutching the controller.

"I'm surprised you even know how to hold it correctly," Sora snickered.

"Shut up and pick your character," Kairi sneered.

He did as he was told, picking his favorite plumber in the jumper with the red hat with the letter "M" printed on it.

"Pffft, you're so old school," Kairi teased as Mario did his natural pose.

"He may be old school, but he kicks a lot of ass," Sora triumphantly stated.

Kairi giggled. "Right right."

As soon as Kairi made her decision on a character, he wrinkled his nose."Oh please, Kairi. Pikachu? You gotta be kidding me," Sora said rather than asked.

"What?" Kairi asked offensively. "It's cute and it shocks people."

Sora sighed and began to the next section where they bickered about which stage to fight on. Kairi won the battle and chose Yoshi's Island as their battleground. The battles have been a bit pathetic as Kairi was getting used to the controls and how to work things. Sora won most of the battles in the beginning when the tables quickly turn and Kairi began to thrash and bash back. Mario was doing flips and throwing fire balls while Pikachu shocked and attacked with its tail endlessly. Kairi laughed as Sora began accusing her of cheating. The two were unaware of how much time had passed by just by playing at least ten rounds of fifteen minute battles and were interrupted when Sora's cell phone rung and vibrated annoyingly on his night stand.

"Hello?" he asked pausing the game.

"Yo Sora. It's Riku."

"Hey Riku, what's up?"

"Nothing nothing, everything's good. Me and the rest of them were wondering where you and Kairi went yesterday. We waited for you guys so we all could walk home together, but you guys never showed up."

"Er, well..."

"Don't tell me you and her ditched us to go on a date or whatever."

"NO, we did NOT ditch you guys. I kinda... got sick and had to go home."

"Hm, no wonder you sound so hoarse. Well, do you mind if we visit you? We've got nothing better to do."

"I don't mind."

"Alright. Call Kairi up and tell her to go to your house then."

Sora paused for a moment and looked at Kairi, who was staring blankly at him back.

_Crap, they don't know she's staying over here._

"She's already here. She's um, taking care of me while my parents are gone."

Sora could imagine the creepy grin Riku probably formed right now.

"Ohhhhh, okay. Maybe we shouldn't disturb you guys then."

"Just shut up and come over," Sora hastily replied and shut his phone angrily.

Kairi blinked a couple of times at Sora's expression. "What happened?"

"They're coming over," Sora bluntly replied, tossing his cell phone at his feet.

"Well, do you still want to play?" she asked, indicating the television screen.

"Naw, I'm getting bored of kicking your butt all the dang time," Sora replied.

"Excuse me," Kairi said. "We're both tied."

"Fine fine, we're both tied, but I think we should do something else if we don't want to rot our brains playing it too much."

Kairi shrugged and turned it off, watching the television screen go blue, then black.

"I'll go get the house cleaned up then. Don't even think of moving," Kairi informed as she started for the hallway.

It kind of scared him how Kairi was so intimidating when she wanted to be. "Yes Mommy."

Kairi laughed to herself before making her way downstairs. Sora, on the other hand, felt very agitated for just being left there and unable to do anything. So he sat there, arms crossed, and a pout occupying his face when he heard a series of clanks, clunks and running water.

_She must be doing the dishes._

Then another thought occurred to him.

_She'd make an awesome wife..._

Sora blinked to himself once or twice, then screamed within himself. What the hell kind of thought is that?! Talk about being bored...Or was he really that bored...? He didn't let it trouble him any further for his head would surely split open if he used his head more than he should and decided to just lay there for the time being until his friends arrived.

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Kairi situated the furniture pillows, wiped the tables clean along with the sink, made sure the bathroom wasn't a complete mess and took out the trash. She wiped her hands together, smiling to herself of the work she did around the house. After taking the initiative of washing her hands and to wait patiently for the guests to arrive. Just as she was wiping her hands on the rag, the doorbell resonated throughout the house.

"Wow, that's kind of quick," she said to herself as she immediately made her way to the door, when she heard footsteps upstairs. "Sora, you better be in bed!"

"And if I'm not?" Sora angrily called back.

Kairi sighed to herself. "Fine, come down here, but make sure you have that rag on your head."

After taking a sharp twist of the door knob, she immediately beamed as she saw her group of friends smiling back.

"Hey Kai!" Selphie greeted.

"Hey Selphie," Kairi greeted back. "You guys can come in."

The group shuffled in, settling themselves in a comfortable atmosphere when they turned their heads to the stairs to see Sora with a rag over his head.

"Pfft, wow Sora. You look like a nun," Riku smartly commented.

"Shut up, Riku," Sora spat as he leaned against the wall, glancing at familiar faces. He quickly grinned at Riku when he saw his beloved Ka sitting right next to Olette on the couch. Riku cleared his throat, indicating that if he tried anything, his head wouldn't be the only thing hurting.

"So, what brings you guys here?" Kairi said interrupting the silence.

"We wanted to check up on our buddy since he's sick," Hayner answered.

"And we had nothing better to do," Namine added.

"How you feelin' Sora?" Roxas asked.

"Like dead weight," Sora snidely commented adjusting the rag.

"That's awful," Olette said with a frown.

"Don't worry, I'll live though," he reassured. "Anyway, what's the next festival event?"

"Let's see, the Chocobos just came in, so probably there will be Chocobo races," Yuna informed.

"Not only that, but I also saw crates of colorful marble-looking things," Ka added.

"Ah, you mean Materia," Tidus said. "I heard there's going to be a scavenger hunt for it."

"Cool!" Kairi exclaimed.

"You bet!" Selphie agreed. "But I don't think we should participate."

"Why not?" Riku asked.

"Because Yuffie will be participating," she smugly responded. "Which means that the contestants don't have a chance."

Sora lifted a brow. "How about the Wishing Bells? Are they still holding those?"

Hayner nodded. "Yeah, that's a permanent event for all three days since it's so popular, especially with the girls."

"And the firework show?" Kairi asked hopefully.

"That's permanent too," Olette reassured.

"Awesome! Once you get better Sora, we're definitely going tomorrow!" Kairi excitedly claimed.

"Yeah yeah yeah," he droned, feeling a bit embarrassed as the group held in their snickers.

"Well, what have you two been doing this whole day?" asked Namine.

"Being bored in bed," Sora replied with a very obvious hint of irritation in his tone.

"I was cleaning up the house a bit," Kairi answered.

"Don't tell me Kairi's playing "wifey" again, Sora," Riku snickered.

Sora glared. "Don't even, Riku."

"Too late, buddy. I just did," Riku smartly stated.

The group chuckled a bit as Sora threw invisible daggers at Riku when he noticed a particular person laughing along with a sweet tone. He grinned when he spotted Ka and decided to give Riku a taste of his own medicine.

"So, Ka, how did you like the festival?" Sora asked, keeping an eye on Riku's movement.

"Ah! It was amazing! Right, Riku?" Ka asked excitedly.

"Hehe.. S-Sure was," Riku began, now glowering at Sora.

"Really now?" Sora exaggerated. "What did you and Riku do?"

"We played a lot of games and he won a bunch of prizes for me! Then we went to the Struggle Match where Riku secretly participated!" Riku made a face to Kairi, who secretly smiled. "And then we participated in the Wishing Bells, and then we watched the fireworks!" Ka finished.

"Sounds romantic," Namine giggled.

Ka whispered into Namine's ear. "It sure was!"

Riku flushed a bit and turned the other way, only revealing one cheek that was a solid red. Sora snickered at his victory as Kairi rolled her eyes.

"Don't forget, Riku," Kairi smiled as he turned her way and nodded.

"Okay, well, it was nice visiting you cousin, but we needa go. We're going to get there early before the streets crowd up like last time," Roxas said getting up. Everyone else got up, all except for Riku.

"I'll catch you guys later then," Riku said sitting on the now vacant couch.

"Are you still going to take me?" Ka asked, stopping at the doorway after everyone else shuffled out.

"Yeah, d-don't worry. I'll give you a, um, call before I come h-home," Riku smiled nervously.

"Okay, bye! I hope you feel better, Sora!" she waved after stepping out onto the chilly air. Sora waved back, then smirked at Riku who was smiling to himself.

"Okay," Kairi said after shutting the door. "Now you have to spill it."

"Fine fine fine," Riku said impatiently, a bit glad that his stutter is gone. "Where do I start?"

"The Wishing Bells event. That's when me and Kairi had to leave," Sora said.

"You don't' want to hear the first part?" Riku asked lifting a silver brow.

"Well, we kind of already know the first part," Kairi laughed nervously.

"And how do you two know that...?" Riku asked suspiciously.

"Well, we were keeping a close eye on you just in case something went wrong," Kairi admitted.

Riku sighed. "I see. Well, you guys don't have to do that anymore since I'm starting to get used to her. Besides, it must've been a drag keeping an eye on me all day."

"Pfft, you kidding?" Sora jeered. "It was hilarious watching you stutter endlessly."

"Thanks," Riku snorted. "Glad you were entertained."

Kairi wacked Sora's head forcefully, making him wail in pain. "Don't mind Sora. We were too busy keeping an eye on you to even notice your stutter, so it's okay."

"Heh, thanks Kai. You two are the greatest," Riku chuckled, watching Sora rub the bruise on his head.

"Anyway, about the Wishing Bells, how did that go?" Kairi asked, interested.

"It was quite nice actually. A little chilly, but nice none the less," Riku said. "She, um, she kind of, cuddled next to me to keep warm."

Sora shwoed his pearly whites with a wise guy face. "Wow. Nice going."

"And the bells? Did they ring?" Kairi asked.

"Well, after we wrote our wishes on the paper and fastened them to you bells, it rang in like thirty seconds. There was barely any wind that day too, which I found a bit weird," Riku said scratching his cheek.

"What did you wish for?" Kairi asked with a bright smile.

Riku gulped. "I-It's p-p-private."

Sora laughed as Riku tried his best to calm down.

"Okay okay, I just wished for me and Ka to forever be good friends," Riku immediately replied.

"...And?" Kairi asked persistently.

Sora's impression copied hers.

"...And more," Riku hesitantly added, feeling a bit of warmth invade his cheeks.

"That's really sweet!" Kairi squealed, almost too much like Selphie. Sora cringed at her high-pitched voice, which made his head throb a bit. "How about the fireworks? How did that go?"

"Pretty much the same. We sat on the sand close to the ocean and watched from there. And um, well..."

Sora and Kairi looked at each other. "Well...? Go on."

Riku gulped, now unable to control the color of his cheeks. "We sort of, held hands, while we were, um, watching..."

Kairi smiled with her mouth open, her eyes the size of dinner plates. "Oh my gosh Riku! So cuuuute!"

Sora couldn't help but agree with her. It wasn't everyday where Riku suddenly submits to an affectionate action.

"Way to go, dude," Sora laughed. "You got yourself a girl! About friggin' time!"

Riku crossed his arms and frowned. "Hey now, watch it Sora. I could get any girl I want. But Ka, well, you know."

Kairi giggled at how Riku made his attempt to explain. "Okay okay, we understand. So, was there anything else that happened?"

Riku shook his head. "Other than walking her home that was just about it."

"Alright! My plan worked!" Kairi triumphantly exclaimed, jumping for joy.

Sora merely rubbed his ear. "Yeah, way to go..."

"Haha, alright you two. I'm going to go now. Hope you're feeling better by tomorrow Sora," Riku said before starting for the door.

"Alright Riku, I'll see you later! Hey Sora, could you see Riku out? I'm going to prepare some dinner," Kairi asked, astonished of how much time quickly passed by.

He nodded as she disappeared behind the kitchen door, then turned back to Riku. "Alright, see you tomorrow, hopefully."

Before saying his good-bye, Riku sternly turned to Sora with a serious face. "Oh, before I forget, Sora, when you and Kairi go to the festival tomorrow, be on a sharp look-out for Mima and Erol."

Sora lifted a brow. He was surely convinced they wouldn't bother them anymore since they haven't made a move in the last couple of months. "Why?"

Riku sighed. "While me and Ka were watching the fireworks, they happened to be sitting behind us, whispering kind of loudly. I don't know if Ka heard them, but I caught a few words."

"What did you hear?" Sora asked, now lowering his voice.

"Stuff like "Sora and Kairi", "break apart", and "last chance"," Riku whispered. "Come on, if you puzzle them together, it gives off an evil tone."

Sora ruffled the back of his head, letting the rag graze his hand. "I see. Well, thanks for the warning then."

Riku smiled. "No problem. You take care now, and don't get "wifey" too mad."

"Get the hell out of my house," Sora grunted as Riku walked away laughing into the sunset.

With a click of the lock, the front door was securely shut and Sora began to the kitchen door where he was greeted with a delicious aroma of soup with steamed beef and vegetables.

"Geez, you took a while to say bye," Kairi remarked, stirring the large ladle around the large stove bowl. Sora went over and peeked at what was inside, ignoring the steam that fogged his vision. Contents of beef, carrots, and spinach swirled about.

"Guy business," Sora replied, not wanting to worry Kairi about the little mischievous actions planted by Erol and Mima.

"Uh-huh," Kairi said indifferently. "Well, go and sit down, this needs to sit for another five minutes."

"Fine," Sora sighed and trumped over to the table, sitting his butt down roughly onto the chair.

"Oh, hey Sora," Kairi said right after Sora just got done putting his cheek on his palm.

"What?" he asked.

_How do I say this without spoiling anything...?_

"Erm, um..." she trailed off.

Sora lifted a brow in concern. "What is it?"

_Gah, this is hopeless! If I ask him what kind of thing he wants for Christmas, then it'll be a dead give-away that I'm his Secret Santa! Crap, how am I supposed to know what to give him for-_

"Hellooooo!! Earth to Kairi!!" Sora yelled across the kitchen, getting impatient.

"Huh? What?" she asked dumbly.

"You were going to ask me something...?" Sora asked.

Kairi stared down at the steaming soup. "Oh, um, never mind."

She waited by the stove for about two more minutes, waiting for the steam to intensify as it rose into the air.

Sora stared at her in plain disbelief as she shut off the stove fire and walked over to retrieve some bowls and soup spoons. Carefully portioning out the soup in each bowl, she walked over to Sora and handed his share.

"You didn't put anything in here, did you...?" Sora questioned suspiciously, twirling the contents with his spoon.

Kairi placed her hands on her hips and scowled at him. "Why would I waste my time poisoning you?"

Sora shrugged. "You tell me. You're the one who cooked this."

Kairi gritted her teeth and decided to log it away as she sat down across from him and began blowing a spoonful of her cooking. Sora did the same ritual, wondering to himself why it's so entertaining pushing her buttons every so often. Being impatient as he is, after blowing it once or twice, he quickly shoved the spoon in his mouth, draining the soup down his throat. It stung a little bit from the intensity of the high temperature, but tasted the delicious-ness after.

"How is it?" Kairi asked, looking p form her silverware.

"Hot," Sora said sticking out a tongue and waving to it.

"Well, it takes more than two blows of air to cool it down," Kairi chuckled.

"I didn't know it would be this HOT," Sora emphasized.

"Then use COMMON SENSE. Ever heard of it?" Kairi asked grinning.

Sora stuck out his tongue once more as he had nothing more to say and began to eat his soup again. Kairi thought of themselves being childish once again, but it was always fun to do so, especially with Sora. As the two ate the soup in silence, night had begun to approach as the sun began to leave the town and the stars began to take their position in the skies. The wind pushed a bit against the windows, making the house moan and creak a bit. Kairi looked over Sora's shoulder and into the backyard, where she spotted a lone tree swaying gently. She immediately thought of the Wishing Bells event.

_Wow, everyone must be getting their wishes fulfilled tonight._

After another five minutes of eating, their bowls were spotless and Kairi took them to the sink to wash. Sora just sat there, feeling the warm substance swim in his stomach. He didn't know whether he was feeling better or feeling worse. Or perhaps, none at all. His large hand clapped around his forehead under the rag, feeling any heat abnormalities. Just as he had predicted, there was still a sign of intense heat in his forehead. He sighed, now feeling the painful sting in his head.

"Okay," Kairi said after washing the dishes along with her hands. "It's time for you to take your medicine."

Sora's face looked like it had been wrinkled together in the dryer. "Yuck..."

Kairi ignored as she pulled out a bottle from the cabinet. She inspected it carefully, making sure this was the same subscription the doctor had given to Sora yesterday and pulled out a teaspoon. Sora watched in disgust as the brown liquid poured onto the teaspoon in Kairi's delicate hands. She remained unaware of his distaste at the moment and set the bottle down, approaching Sora contently.

"Gyeh," Sora grimaced. "Do I have to...?"

"Do you want to go to the festival tomorrow or not...?" Kairi asked sternly, but couldn't help but feel a bit sorry the brunette.

Sora gulped and held his breath, edging closer to the spoon. In one swift movement, he engulfed the medicine and swallowed hastily, feeling the yucky taste slide down his throat. His tongue hung out like it was going to make way for whatever was going to launch itself out of his mouth.

"Oh hush. You act just like a little boy," Kairi sneered, screwing the cap back on the medicine and placing back into its rightful place into the cabinet. After washing the spoon thoroughly, she went back over to Sora and swiped the rag from his head.

"Okay, let's get upstairs, you need to get to bed," Kairi said.

Sora glanced at the clock, which read "7:12". His face fell in utter disbelief.

"Kairi, are you kidding?! It's only seven o' clock!" he whined.

"The more rest you get, the more you time for you to heal," Kairi stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

"But-"

"No "buts". I won't forgive you if you're still sick tomorrow because you decided to be a smart ass and stay up late," Kairi replied crossly.

"Tch," Sora hissed. "Fine, have it your way, but I doubt I'll be able to even fall asleep this early."

"Just try," Kairi said.

The brunette sighed and got up from his chair, slowly making his way upstairs and feeling a bit dizzy afterwards. Kairi went straight to her temporary room and said ,"Go ahead and change. I'll come back with a new rag."

Sora shut the door without a response and began to change. He now realized how sticky and sweaty he was, which astounded him. After pulling on a pair of loose sweat pants and a white shirt, he unlocked his door for Kairi to come in at anytime and crawled into bed, wishing with all his might that this godforsaken sickness would just go away already. He wondered what the others are doing right now at the festival. Sora could just imagine each pair enjoying themselves: Hayner and Olette eating cotton candy, Roxas and Namine riding a Chocobo together, Tidus and Yuna playing games and winning prizes, Selphie and Irvine taking a peaceful stroll along the sand, and Riku and Ka cheering on Yuffie who happened to sack the most materia out of all of the contestants. If only he and Kairi were there, they'd be watching the fireworks together, hand-in-hand. Sora shook his head at the mere fantasy, wishing he'd stop doing that when, suddenly, his door creaks open to find Kairi poking her head through.

"Okay," she said, making her way over. Her attire was a very cute cream-colored night gown that reached her knees with little frills at the bottom. Once again, she carried the bucket in hand and sat down on his chair, wringing the rag until it was damp enough not to drip. Sora laid down on his pillow, waiting for the rag to drop over his forehead. When it did, he felt a surge of coldness swell in his eyes that he squinted for a bit.

"How's that? Too wet?" she asked, cocking her head to the side a bit.

"No, it's fine," he said sighing and blinking a few times.

"Okay, well, have a goodnight. Don't hesitate to call me since your parents are out late again," Kairi informed getting and leaving the bucket at his bed-side.

"How do you know that?" Sora asked.

She turned to him, standing at his doorway. "They called me while I was changing. I told them I can take good care of you while they're at work. Do you agree? Because if you're feeling a bit uneasy about it, just tell me and I'll call them to come home right away."

Sora shook his head. "No thanks. I don't want to bother them at work, especially after they've just gotten back from that vacation."

Kairi gave a small smile. "Okay. Just call me, okay?"

He nodded. "I will."

"Okay, goodnight," she said, flipping his light switch.

"Goodnight, Kairi," he replied back, shutting his eyes. The door shut, and the hallway light that leaked through his door disappeared. The sound of Kairi's footsteps making it to her room dimmed as she shut her door quietly, turning off her own light. Sora sighed loudly, wondering how in the world he'd get to sleep. It was way too early for him, and if he slept sideways, then the rag would fall off.

_Whatever, just close your eyes and get some sleep._

He did so, easing his breathing pattern and letting his hot breath dissolve into the chilly temperature of his room.

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Kairi had just switched off her lights and snuggled into bed, feeling her body heat warm up the blanket and under covers. It was quite chilly tonight, and she did not want to touch the heater, for it might cause trouble for Sora's parents. Plus, she didn't know if turning up the heater would even help her best friend's condition. With a sigh and stretch, she rolled over onto her side and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to overcome her.

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_"Ngh..."_

_His breathing became intense and more difficult to bear._

_"So...hot..."_

_His body flared up, twisting himself on the covers._

_"I feel... like... I'm on... fire..."_

_His head throbbed painfully, his eyes shut tight from the stinging in his eyes._

_"...Where...Where is she...?"_

_Where is who...?_

_"Kairi..."_

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Kairi blinked her eyes open slowly upon hearing her name. She rose warily out of bed, rubbing her eyes when her hearing caught that of very heavy breathing. She looked in the direction of her doorway, only to gasp and rush out of bed.

"Sora! Don't get up! You're all sweaty!" she panicked, supporting him.

His eyes were shut and his breathing was hard and pronounce.

"Come on, I'll get you to bed and I'll call your mom and dad," she suggested, starting to his bedroom when he refused to move.

"No..." he breathed. "Don't... call them... I just... I just need...you..."

"Sora," Kairi said. "Come on, this isn't a joke. Let's go back to your room."

He tried opening his eyes, to get only a blurry vision of the auburn-headed beauty with a distressed look on her face.

"Will...Will you promise...me...something...?" he breathed heavily.

She nodded. "Yes, anything."

"Just..." Sora began, hanging his head low again. "Just.. stay there... beside me...so I know that... you're watching... watching over me..."

In an instant, Kairi felt that she wanted to cry, but decided against it. Now was not the time.

"Okay," she agreed. "Now come on, no more talking. Let's get you back in bed."

Without another word, Sora leaned on Kairi, being supported until they reached his room which was a little ways into the hallway. After pushing open the door of his room. Kairi saw how untidy his bed was and assumed he had been twisting and turning quite a lot. And from the looks of it, he had been asleep while doing so. With an effort to walk over to his bed, she made an attempt to lower him down when he resisted again.

"What's wrong, Sora?" she asked the sickly brunette.

He breathed for a few moments, and then used his energy to look up at her.

"You...You go in... first," he said inhaling in between.

Kairi looked at him wide-eyed. "Wait, we're sleeping on the same bed?!"

Sora hung his head low and closed his eyes again, unable to block out the throb in his head. "I... I know it... sounds kind of... of crazy, but... I just... I just thought... that maybe... if I feel... feel that you're really... there... then maybe I can.."

"Okay okay, no more talking or you'll get even more sick," Kairi said worryingly. She took a look at his unmade bed and tried to convince herself to do it, for Sora's sake. However she thought of it, sleeping on the same bed as Sora was quite embarrassing and uncomfortable! Sora suddenly groaned to himself, breathing even harder as sweat dripped from his nose. Kairi panicked and sat on the bed, having Sora slouch next to her. In a flash, she grabbed a clean rag at the top of the pile and dipped it into the bucket of water which lay next to his bed and began ringing it out quickly. Sora scrunched his eyebrows as Kairi wiped his face with the rag, seeing his face flush of more color."Alright, here goes," she said to herself and scooted into the bed. She situated herself comfortably while sitting against the bed sack, waiting for Sora to scoot in. He did so very slowly, and, to make Kairi feel more secure, he turned his back towards her. Kairi looked at him with sorry eyes, wishing she could do more to make his sickness go away.

"Well, goodnight," Kairi whispered as she scooted into the blankets and secured them over both of them. With her back towards him, she closed her eyes and tried to fall back asleep again.

"Good, night..." Sora said before shutting his own.

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_"H-Hot..."_

_Why are you crying?_

_"I'm...I'm not... crying..."_

_Then who are you calling to?_

_"...Her..."_

_Who is "her"?_

_"...Kairi..."_

_Why are you calling her?_

_"I...I need her..."_

_For what? Can't you take care of yourself?_

_"Yeah... I can... I'm just-"_

_Sick? Heh, and you need Kairi to nurse you, eh? Is it me, or are you trying to keep Kairi all to yourself?_

_"N-No...I'm not that... selfish..."_

_You seem hesitant._

_"Just leave me... leave me alone..."_

_...Sora?_

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His eyes slowly opened, suddenly getting the blurry vision of Kairi's worried face looming over his.

"Wh...Wha...?" he asked, feeling more hotter than ever. Though he felt numb, he felt Kairi's own unique warmth in her palm above his forehead where the rag used to be.

"Sora, please, if there's anything you need me to do, let me know," she informed concerningly.

"Why...Why? What... happened...?" Sora asked, attempting to lift his head.

"Well," Kairi hesitantly began. "You were breathing more hardly, and, well, you were talking in your sleep."

"Oh..." Sora breathed. He'd never seen Kairi so up-close, other than the dream. "Um, look... I don't... I don't want to keep... keep you from sleeping... So you... you can go... back to your... your room if... if you want."

Kairi shook her head. "No, I'll stay. It'll be easier to watch over you."

"Then you... won't be able to... get any sleep..." Sora moaned.

She smiled warmly to him, trying to keep in her tears of how Sora was being thoughtful, even in the midst of his sickness. Her mind raced as she was about to do the unthinkable, well maybe to her it was considered the unthinkable. Sora blinked a couple of times, trying to figure out the situation right now in his already throbbing head. All he could see was Kairi's neck closing in on him. His eyes unexpectedly widened, as he felt sweat drip down the side of his cheek. His breathing now hitting Kairi's collar bones, he felt a gentle hand ruffling his hair and massaging his sweaty scalp.

"K-Kairi..." he said slowly.

"No more talking," she whispered gently. "Get some sleep."

He felt her chin upon his forehead, and could barely see her other hand curled just by her lips. Sora now wanted more than anything to stay awake, but the comforting feeling her fingers gave to his head made his eyes slink. Kairi was smile was so comforting, he felt as though he had gone to heaven. Finally, he thought better to resist against it. After all, if he just stayed awake, he would be too tired to take Kairi to the festival. Yeah, she wouldn't like that.

"Thank you...Kairi..." Sora mumbled before drifting off to sleep.

She smiled to herself and closed her eyes. "You're welcome, Sora."

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A/N: Well? How was it? Did you like it? D8 Yeah, it was a bit fluffy, a little too much for my taste, but hey, that's how romances work, right? xD Well, a review or two would be appreciated! Thanks a lot for taking the time to read this! C8


	34. Final Festivity Pt 1: Like Your Mind

A/N: Oh my geezuz. I apologize BIG TIME for the ridiculously late update, for two books required from school kept me from creating another chapter. 8D But alas, I'm finished with the two forever! But it doesn't mean I'll be spewing out chapters, so don't get your hopes up. xD Anyway, here's another chapter. I hope you guys enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Tetsuya Nomura and Square Enix do.

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**Chapter 34**

"..."

_...I hear... breathing._

"..."

_...Who's there?_

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If only the sun's rays wouldn't be so powerful as to leak through the blinds and spill onto his face, and hers. With a dreary, oceanic eye, Sora narrowed his vision a couple of times after waking from that blissful sleep. His mind was rolling again without any pain or violent throbs. His body felt a bit achey, but not as much. Best of all, he felt his normal temperature circulate through his blood. It was pretty nice to not feel like someone shoved you into a large, boiling cauldron who stirred you quite considerately with a large, metallic ladel and left you there to burn.

Sora's ears began to function properly again, hearing the birds chirp in a ridiculously loud manner, and, the sound of soft breathing. The warm gust seemed to be brushing against his brown spikes on the top of his head while a gentle hand lay just above his ear with an ivory arm connected to it. At first, it was quite strange for him to be seeing only a paled skin color until he focused and figured out it was a neck.

"...What in the...?" Sora grumbled softly. The small figure shifted a bit under the warm, maroon covers at his response. Blue eyes blinked a bit in confusion as the spiky head slowly withdrew a bit to see the face that belonged to this figure. It didn't take long for him to realzie who had been snuggling so close to him and for his face to turn about ten different shades of red (if possible). Her head rested on a soft cloud, or, if you gack at poetry, a pillow. Shining, auburn hair draped over a delicate face with dark eye lashes curling above rosy cheeks. Small, pink lips barely open for breath to flow out while her chest rose up and down. The covers hid the rest of her figure just below her shoulders, giving more comfort to the scene. It wasn't how he had expected it to turn out, especially since he was sick. Sora had expected her to wake up earlier than he did and return to her room after checking that he was now okay. That or she'd be downstairs talking with her parents or helping his mother cook breakfast. Speaking of parents, were they even home? The household seems to be a bit too quiet, yet, it could just be him.

Kairi shifted again, interrupting his thoughts as she moved around inside the covers. At first, his face was just a deep shade of red. But now that Kairi unconsciously made a bold move to tangle her bare legs with his, the color just went ridiculous.

"Geh!" he squeaked in a whisper. "H-Hey! K-Kairi!"

Kairi only grumbled inaudibly in response.

"Kairi!" he said a little louder. "Kairi, wake up!"

_Or else I'm going to explode of embarrassment!_

Well, at least the second response nudged her a bit.

"...Five more minutes," Kairi hazily replied without opening her eyes.

Before Sora could even fight back, the auburn bed-head hoisted herself up and deliberately placed herself on top of him, hugging his sides like a teddy bear.

_OH MY- KAIRI, DON'T DO THIS TO ME!!!_

The poor brunette boy did all he could to prevent his cheeks from melting off his face as Kairi nuzzled his neck. His arms were so tensed up that he couldn't find the strength to even touch her.

"Crap crap crap crap crap," Sora repeated in panic. "What do I do? What do I do?!"

"I believe the best thing to do is to try to slip out quietly without waking her up."

Sora zipped his head into the direction of the doorway where his father stood crossing his arms with a light smile.

"Dad!" Sora gasped.

"Shhh! Not so loud, or you'll wake her!" he hushed. "Now, come downstairs after you brush your teeth. Your mother made some light porridge."

The brunette son shivered a bit. "Yuck, porridge..."

His father did not reply, only to chuckle quietly to himself as he made his way down the stairs. Now that his only child was left in the hands (literally) of his best friend, he flustered himself with how to smoothly creep out of this awkward position and quietly follow his father. He couldn't just waltz right up and go, it would undoubtly wake the auburn girl up. The one thing he could only do was to pull her hands away from him and slide out of the bed.

"Alright," he gulped. "Here goes..."

Step one: Place your god-awful sweaty hands on her wrists.

"Okay, that's done."

Step two: Lightly pull the small hands away from your body, no matter how much you want them to stay there.

"...Oh good, she's not waking up."

Step three: Place the hands that heavenly hugged you to the side away from your body and place your hands on her shoulders.

"I'm getting a bad feeling about this..."

Step Four: GENTLY roll your dream girl to the side.

"...Easy now, eaaaasy..."

Step Five: Once all four steps are successful, quietly take your leave and hope she doesn't wake up. If disturbed in between any of the steps, repeat the process or just lay there hopelessly.

"Okay," Sora sighed as he brushed himself off. His eyes scanned his messy bed with Kairi dozing off to the side. As much as he wanted to stay in bed (not admitting it, mind you), his feet patted softly against his flooring as he made his way through the open door and down the stairs. The smell of porridge brewing in the area twirled in his nostrils as he appeared in the opening of his kitchen. There, his mother stood stirring the goopy mix and his father at the table reading the daily paper.

"G'morning Sora. Did you wake her?" asked his father.

"No, thankfully," he added to the last sentence. Sora dropped his rump onto a chair and relaxed against the cushion it provided. Meanwhile, Sora's mother trodded around the kitchen area and to her son with a thermometer.

"Open up sweety," she said. Sora did so and tasted the cold tiny metal against his tongue. His mother tapped her foot while his father peered over at him. Were they expecting the thermometer to blow up or something? After a minute or so, his mother withdrew the instrument and inspected it carefully.

"Hm, you seem better now. Did you take your medicine yesterday?" she asked going back over to the kitchen.

"Yeah," he replied simply. Though, he wasn't sure it was the medicine that helped him recover.

"It seems it was more than just the medicine," his father stated straightly.

"N-No, it was really the medicine," Sora interjected nervously. His father knew him too well sometimes.

His mother chuckled. "It seems Kairi took good care of you, seeing as how she slept in your bed."

"That have better been an act to watch over you, Sora," said the father very very sternly.

"It was!" Sora exclaimed. It was true, right? Though that wasn't the whole story.

"Yes yes, now calm down Sora. Your porridge is almost ready," the mother said, turning off the stove.

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_The warmth... It's gone._

Her hands reached around the crumpled sheets. Her eyes shutting more intensly as she tried to find that source of warmth. Where had it have gone? After noticing her head was on a pillow, along with several strands of her hair strewn here and there, she creaked open a misty blue eyes only to succumb to blurry vision. After blinking a few times and rubbing the sand out of her eyes, she noticed she was NOT in her temporary room, though the room was still familiar.

It was Sora's room.

"What am I...?" she asked hazily to herself when her eyes flew wide open. "Oh no, where's Sora?!"

Violently shuffling herself out of the now catastrophic bed, she quickly ran out of his bedroom. She thought he still might be sleeping somewhere else in the house, seeing as how he might've been freaked out that she was sleeping next to him on his bed. Kairi thought against it to call out, but, she heard a series of clanking noise coming from the kitchen. Hurrying herself a bit down the stairs, she skidded to a stop in the kitchen entrance. There she found Sora's parents attending the table while their son feasted almost miserably upon the mushy stuff.

"Phew," she exhaled. "You're okay."

"Er, yeah," Sora said through a mouthful of food.

"Ah, good morning Kairi," Sora's mother greeted. "It seems you slept well."

Kairi nodded. "Good morning, ma'am. Yes, I sure did."

"We'd like to thank you for taking such good care of Sora for us while we were working," Sora's father smiled.

"No problem!" Kairi chuckled while hiding her blush. "Sora was very cooperative, so it was no trouble at all."

At hearing his name, the brunette boy merely pouted as he sipped his hot food.

"Good good! Now why can't he be like that with us?" his father joked.

Kairi and Sora's mother laughed, while Sora just sat there and sulked with a mouthful of porridge.

"Well, now that Sora's feeling better, do you two still want to go to the festival?" the mother asked.

"It's the last day, so of course we're going," Sora replied after gulping down that extremely hot spoonful. Kairi looked at him in concern.

"But you might get sick again," Kairi stated.

"I'll bring a jacket, just in case," Sora said.

The father leaned his paper down a bit for his eyes to peirce at his son. "You're not going to wear a kimono?"

Sora shook his head. "No. I'm going to wear normal clothes. That kimono was a bit too light anyways."

"Alright, suit yourself," his mother responded as she got up and attended to the kitchen again.

"Okay you two. Go and get yourselves ready. We want to go early this time," said the older male. "Since we didn't get a chance to go yesterday."

The two nodded and Kairi left first, leaving Sora to give his finished bowl to his mother to wash and followed after.

"Oh, and, Sora?"

Sora turned to his mother. "Yeah?"

"Would you please give this to Kairi? It just came in today," she said handing him a small brown box taped up rather ruggedly.

"Sure. Is it her parents' present?" the son asked inspecting the order.

His mother nodded. "It came in rather late. I suppose the post office was having a hard time and delayed it a bit."

The brunette boy looked back at his mother. "When are they coming back home?"

"Tomrrow," said his father who still read the paper.

"Okay, I'll be sure to give this to her then," Sora reminded and went out of the kitchen.

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The sun spilled out of every room Kairi passed. The windows' blinds were drawn back, revealing the outside world in squares. When her feet wandered down the upstairs hall, she stopped at the room she previously slept it, Sora's room. The room was still in its chaotic mess, especially the bed since the two were tangled up in it last night. Kairi thought it better to at least make his bed, for she slept in it with him and woke up in it without him. She walked forward, avoiding random articles of clothing and books, finally making it to the bed and got herself busy.

Meanwhile, Sora calmly trumped up the stairs and set his destination for Kairi's temporary room when he saw a shadow dance against the light on his bedroom floor. A series of flaps and folding noises could be heard. He peeked into his domain to see Kairi straightening the under sheets.

"You don't have to do my bed. I'm not sick anymore," he said, getting her attention. Her gift was stowed away behind his back.

"Still, I think it would be considerate, since I woke up last," Kairi stated, going back to spreading the blanket over.

"Well, stop BEING considerate and think about yourself for once," Sora scoffed, leaning against his doorway while she presumed her work. "I swear, you're too nice for your own good."

"Sorry," she said after making a neat fold of the blanket near the organized pillows. Her sparkling indigo eyes turned to him with a small smile. "It's just how I am."

Sora felt his breakfast churn uncomfortably. Nothing could be said as he only turned away and pouted. Kairi swept the pillows, making sure a spec wouldn't be noticed, when her hand accidentally swept too far and knocked a small box off of the nightstand. As soon as the small tinkling of a necklace reached Sora's ear, he hurriedly scrambled to the floor and quickly covered it with his hands before Kairi could even see what had fallen.

"What was that?" Kairi asked peering down at a crouching Sora.

"N-Nothing," Sora stammered. He decided to distract her by presenting the small brown box from where he slumped. "Here, it's a present from your folks."

Kairi blinked at the small box and began to beam. "Oh! Thanks Sora! When did it come in?"

The brunette boy took this precious time to place the necklace back inside the box and slam it shut in his drawer. "It came in today. It was supposed to come in two days ago, but the post office was delayed for sometime."

She turned the box over and over again, trying to see through its walls of what could be inside. Her brown-headed best friend eyed her.

"You going to keep staring at it, or are you going to open it...?" he sarcastically asked. Kairi took no notice of his tone and quickly peeled off the tape. Too excited to even control her own hands, the box fumbled out of her palm just as she got the two folds open. Sora managed to catch the box on its side and also caught the gift, or rather, PART of her gift just before it went crashing to the ground.

"Geez you klutz! You could've broken this thing!" he scowled, giving the box back to her. But her eyes were glued to the thing Sora held in his hand. A small, porcelain half of a paopu fruit glistened in his large palm. Sora looked at it too, noticing a small little square protruding out from the clean cut side.

"Half of a porcelain paopu fruit?" Sora asked, feeling it with his pointer finger. Kairi looked back into the box, feeling that something else also dwelled inside. In the box was the other half of it. She took it up in her hands and settled the box down on Sora's neat bed. It was smooth and shiny, and the golden yellow was glittering magically while the leaves hanging off of one end glistened green. A square slot grove was planted on the also clean cut side of that piece.

"Wow, it's so pretty!" Kairi squealed, looking back at her piece, and then at the piece in Sora's hand. "Here, come here."

She took Sora's hand that held her half of the gift and connected the two pieces together, creating a full paopu fruit that glimmered in the sun leaking through the windows. The gift even bewitched Sora, who was examining the fine detail that was put into this little decoration. It took him about two minutes to realize that they were holding an item that considered to be a _destinry joiner_, therefor, quickly withdrawing the peice he held and hastily it shoving it at her.

"Nice gift," he mumbled, trying not to expose any rose color in his face. "And thanks for making my bed."

Kairi chuckled. "No problem. Thanks for catching the other half, or else the gift wouldn't be complete."

"Yeah yeah," he mumbled, taking the bold move to ruin Kairi's freshly made Sora-bed. The box also contained a tiny envelope just about the exact perfect width, enabling it to fit inside. "Hey, you also got a letter from them."

Kairi took up the letter form Sora and ripped the licked seal carefully. Once the paper was successfully pulled out, the message began to unfold in her petite hands.

_Dear Kairi,_

_Here's a gift from us, your mother and father. We know how much you like these paopu fruits, so we bought this one in a little toy shop off the coast of the beach in Destiny Islands. I, meaning your mother, will return this Sunday later on that night. We hope you're doing well and being a good girl to Sora and his parents. I'll give you a call later! We love you honey!_

_Love, Mom_

A smile bloomed in her features as she folded the note back and slipped it into its envelope. The knowledge of her parents thinking about their only daughter produced a little churn in her stomach, but oh how she missed her father so.

"So when are they coming back?" Sora interrupted.

"Today, later on tonight," Kairi responded, placing her gifts back inside the box carefully.

"Mm," he hummed, feeling a bit of a void starting to form within his chest. The thought of Kairi leaving was a bit depressing, even though she's just three steps away from his house. Her presence being acknowledged by him as he found the temporary guest room lit and littered with Kairi's things. Even the air in that domain smelled of sweet melon and cuccumber, like Kairi. "Well, do you have your things ready?"

Kairi nodded as she crumpled the used tape and threw it perfectly into Sora's waste basket. "I knew I'd have to go sometime this weekend, so I packed everything on Friday."

"Yeah, you would do that," Sora remarked falling on the small row of pillows. "Well anyway, go and take a bath. We're going to leave early for the festival."

Kairi looked at him before departing the room with the box in her hands. "You don't want to go first?"

The brunette sat up again and strode over to his closet. "I'll take one after."

She shrugged and went back to her temporary room, shutting the door behind her.

Sora's activity with busying in the closet came to a halt as he stared down the path Kairi had taken of her leave and then redirected his eyes at his nightstand drawer. He sighed to himself, deciding to plunge into his mind.

_That was a close one... She almost saw her Christmas gift._

His large hands drew out a black T-Shirt containing thin white stripes on the ends of the short sleeves.

_Nah, not this one. _

Sora placed back in its rightful spot almost forcefully.

_Hmmm... I wonder who her secret santa could be..._

This time, a plain white polo hung at his hands.

_Nope, not this either..._

He followed the same routine.

_Oh, and the Sleeping Beauty play! I almost forgot!_

A dark green shirt with "Over Drive" scribbled in white on the front. Nope, not it either. Sora put it back.

_I wonder how that's going to turn out. I have to stay in school, even on the weekends! Man, what a downer!_

A navy blue long-sleeve with a giant white star in the middle along with a couple of stripes at the forearm area.

_...This'll do._

After breezing through his shirts, he bent down to breeze over his reckless pile of jeans.

_Man, I hope I don't screw up my part. It'll seriously make me the laughing stalk of the school..._

He made a hasty decision of picking his pants and tossed his clothing onto the bed.

_Kairi will do fine though. She made me watch the movie a hundred times with her when we were little. Heck, we even role-played the movie sometimes._

His feet wandered over to the series of guy accessories scrambled on his study desk. Sora nit-picked through each when he found a decent ring and his favorite crown chain necklace. His thoughts quickly snapped when he noticed how weak and cracky the chain suspending the crown was.

_Man, I got to get a new chain too..._

He flung the items onto the clothing and decided to switch on his television until Kairi can say the word.

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"It's only 1:48," Kairi said to herself. Just how early are they planning to go? Deciding it better than to ask question to herself and keeping Sora waiting for his turn of the use of the shower, she quickly swiped a towel from the closet and went over to the bathroom. A quick turn of the water knob, a few adjustments here and there, a pull of the drain control, and you have a steamy bath waiting for you to submerge in. Kairi waited a bit for the tub to fill before stripping herself down to only a mere towel around the upper part. Her fingers clung around the knob and twisted it closed, retaining the water flow and slowly dipped into the steaming pool. Her towel now lay dry and frizzled on the open area of the sinks while she soaked in peace and relaxation.

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"Hey Kairi, are you ready?"

"Almost!"

"When the heck is 'almost'?!"

"Geez, fine! Hold on!"

Kairi bustled out of her room, biting on chopsticks which were hair ornaments and struggling with her purple sash. Sora lifted a brow and crossed his arms.

"You need help there?" he smirked.

"Prreashe," Kairi responded through clenched chopsticks. He chuckled inwardly as Kairi turned around and handed him the strings of her sash blindly. He took it and looped it around as many times necessary to fasten it to her curves and tie it comfortably in the front. While he managed her strings, Kairi busied herself with her hair when Sora intervened.

"Don't put your hair up," he said tying the knot securely.

Kairi's hands faltered from her head. "Why not?"

"Because you already look pretty," he said snatching the chopsticks away. Though he paused when he said this.

_Wait... Did I just compliment-_

"Thanks," Kairi giggled, revealing as bit of pink in her nose. "I didn't think I'd look better with my hair down, especially in a kimono."

_Gah, what's the use? She already heard my compliment._

"Yeah, well, you should check yourself out in the mirror sometime and see for yourself," Sora stated rather in embarrassment.

"You guys ready to go?!" cried a womanly voice form down below.

"We're coming, mom!" Sora replied, then looked to the pretty pink vision in front of him. "You ready?"

Kairi nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

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The clock struck around 3, and the day was sunny with a few clouds littered in the sky. Though it seemed warm and tempting, it was rather cold and frightening. The busy streets were, peculiarly, a bit TOO busy for a Sunday. Perhaps everyone has taken a day off from work and decided to use this day for fun and excitement. For Sora and Kairi, it was a bit claustrophobic.

"Sora, will you slow down?!" Kairi cried tripping over a passersby's foot.

"How can I slow down when we're not even getting anywhere?!" Sora called back agitatedly. His expression, hoewever, morphed into utter suprise as Kairi clasped his hand tightly.

"Okay, now I won't seperate from you," Kairi sulked, being pushed and shoved here and there.

"Fine," Sora grumbled and tightened his grip on hers. He led the way once again, only with a heated face this time. Honestly, the crowd was a ridiculous number. There was a mix of kimonos and street style clothing, mostly because teenagers roaming the entire town. The two could tell it was an exciting day, even if they deny themselves holding hands.

Everything was dangling from street lamps and telephone wires. Gold streamers and white bells flitted with the gust provided from the people, yet, it seems that there was no hint of natural wind today, which worried Sora and Kairi a bit. For today was the day they decided to participate in the Wishing Bells. Well, it was the ONLY day since Sora became ill for the other two. It suddenly dawned on him that Kairi was looking forward for this event and felt a pang of guilt in his chest. What kind of best friend was he? Depriving his (cute, pretty, and totally oblivious) best friend of his from her most adored event in the festival? For TWO days?

"...Sora? You okay? Are you feeling ill again?" Kairi asked as she leaned closer to his arm, peering up into his sunken face. Sure, he felt sick to his stomach of how bad a friend he was making himself, but the fever was long gone, that's for sure.

"I'm fine. It's just crowded, that's all," Sora reassured, focusing back on manuevering through the mobile maze. It took them a good five minutes to successfully make it out of the crowd in one peice (or two peices connected together) and to luckily find an empty bench on frosted grass under a bare tree.

"Geez, why are there so many people here?" Sora asked yanking Kairi from being sandwhiched by two teenage boys back-to-back.

"That's what I want to know," Kairi sighed after that forceful pull.

The two sat down, Sora zipping up his black jacket and Kairi sweeping her lap for any wrinkles. The a faint trinket could be heard from her small earrings as she adjusted her sash for the unteenth time.

"Will you stop prepping up? You look fine," demanded Sora as he shoved his hands in his jacket pockets.

Kairi made another small adjustment. "Well, I just want to make sure."

"Of course," chided Sora. "You're a perfectionist. How could I forget?"

"Yes, how could you?" fumed Kairi with the same sarcasm as the brunette's.

"Because you're unpredictable," Sora sighed as well as scratching his head.

The auburn girl thought for a moment. "Unpredictable? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

The crowd's volume slowly grew without any of the two's notice.

"Well," Sora began. "That depends if you like or don't like suprises."

Kairi blinked. "Do you like suprises, Sora?

At this moment, he was left speechless. How could he word this without offending her?

"No, I don't," he mumbled, but after seeing a sad Kairi, he quickly attempted to redeem himself. "Well, no, I mean, I don't like suprises that like to scare the living daylights out of me!"

Now Kairi was just confused. "Then what do you mean?"

"Uh," Sora dumbly resumed. "Well, what I mean is that, um, even though I don't LIKE suprises that much, it doesn't mean that, that I don't, you know, LIKE you."

Kairi crossed her arms. "Right. And here you tell me to stop doing this and stop doing that. It seems to me that you don't-"

"Like I said," he interrupted. "Just because I say that stuff and don't appreciate certain things about you, it doesn't mean I don't like you."

"...But why would you like someone if you don't like certain things about them?"

Sora sighed and sat up straight. "Okay, look. I'm going to try and explain this the best I can."

Kairi nodded.

"Now, what I don't like about you, is that you're unpredictable, stubborn, and a big-time push-over," Sora listed. "Now just because I don't appreciate these things, it doesn't mean I hate you, because there are a lot of other things that I like about you that outweigh what I DON'T like about you. Plus, everyone has their flaws. No one's perfect."

"... What kind of things do you like about me?" Kairi curiously asked.

Sora's face began to heat up. "Er, well, what I like about you is that you're, um, unpredictable, stubborn, and a big-time push-over."

The auburn headed girl's head now began spinning. "Wait, I thought those were the things you hated about me."

"..." Okay, now Sora couldn't lie. It would just be pointless since he just said the wrong things. "Ah, um, well, yeah, you're right!"

Her eyebrows scrunched in annoyance and confusion. "Sora, which is it? Do you hate it or like it?"

Sora ruffled his hair in frusteration. "UM, okay, how do I explain this...?

It took a minute for Sora to organize his thoughts together, well, ALMOST organize. "Okay, I don't hate it... But I don't like it."

"... Go on," Kairi calmly urged.

"I actually don't MIND those things," Sora added, now lightening up when Kairi's face finally brightens a bit.

"I see. So, you really don't care about those things," she concluded.

"Right," Sora agreed, nodding.

"And you don't hate me," Kairi inferred.

"Right," Sora repeated.

"You like me," Kairi smiled.

"...Right," Sora hesitated, blushing at the thought that it was MORE than just a simple "like".

"And you didn't answer my question," Kairi grinned, scooting closer.

Sora leaned back a little. "What question?"

"I asked what you liked about me," she quoted.

"But I thought I already answered that," Sora said.

"No, you only said you didn't MIND those things. I'm asking you what you LIKE about me," described Kairi.

Now this was awkward. Way to go Sora for being dumb!

"D-Do I have to?" complained Sora.

Kairi pouted and instantly stood up. "Fine. It's obvious that you ha-"

"Okay okay!" Sora pleaded, pulling Kairi back down on the bench. "What I like about you is that you're sincere, caring, honest, friendly, smart, talented, and all those other things!"

Sora heaved a bit after speed-talking at about 45 mph.

Kairi smiled brightly. "Geez Sora, one would've been enough for me."

He let the last pant of breath ease out slowly. "Well, I thought you would want more than just one."

A giggle escaped Kairi's small lips. "And that's one of the things I don't MIND about you."

Sora curved a brow after her emphasis.

"And don't bother asking what I like about you," Kairi mused, sitting up straight with her chin up high.

"... And why can't I bother?" Sora questioned smugly.

"Because I don't mind some things about you, but I like you altogether," Kairi responded, keeping her eye on the growing crowd.

Just hearing "I like you altogether" made his mind mush and melt as he tried to contain his posture. How the heck can he be so weak?

Sora sighed. "I see." He mentally kicked himself for not saying anything more, just when, a girl stumbled out of the crowd and deliberately onto Sora.

"Agh!! What the-" Sora shrieked, when he realzied that two dreamy red eyes were peircing into his blue ones and small arms curled around his waist.

A loud sigh could be heard as a boy emerged from the sea of people and stood in front of Kairi, who peered up into a dashing face.

"Mima? Erol?"

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A/N: 8D Well now, here's a cliffhanger for you guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will forgive me for not putting in enough fluff in this one. [ Well, thank you for reading! C8


	35. Final Festivity Pt 2: No More Denial

A/N: Hey guys! D8 Another long-waited update, and I apologize. Just to let you know, the events of the festival will be divided into parts. I'm having this thought that it would move the story along better and would invoke anticipation upon my readers, so, please don't kill me? 8D Okay, enough rambling! Please enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do.

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**Chapter 35**

Sora stumbled anxiously out of the bench, releasing himself from Mima's grasp and pointed an accused finger at the two intruders.

"Wh-What the heck are you two doing here?!" he literally cried. Seriously, he thought a little time with Kairi at the festival would go smoothly. Now that Mima and Erol were there, it might just cause a few bumps here and there, or a fatal crash. It depends on how Sora steers the wheel.

"We're here to enjoy the festival like everyone else," Erol stated calmly.

"But not together," Mima added with a grin.

Kairi eventually got up from the bench and stood next to her brunette best friend.

"Then who are you two going with?" the auburn asked.

The two looked at the best-friend pair with acknowledging eyes.

"I wanted to go with you, Kairi," Erol answered with a bit of hunger in his voice (which made a certain brunette boil inside).

"And I wanted to go with Sora-poo," Mima perkily stated, putting great emphasis on the "I".

Oh great. Just when he thought he'd never hear that blasted nick name ever again.

_This can't get any worse_.

Sora inwardly groaned, knowing that Kairi was as much as a push-over as he was. After all, Kairi and Erol are friends. It just so happens that when Kairi's not around, Erol's little devil took over that body and began to tease and taunt. Sora looked over at Kairi with little hope.

"I'm sorry, but I can't."

Okay, scratch that. Kairi smiled sadly at a shocked Erol.

"Sora and I are keeping a promise. I can't break that promise, and neither can he," Kairi gently inputted.

Erol nodded slowly while Mima had a disgusted look plastered on her face. What was scarier about the raven-haired girl was her piercing red eyes that seemingly shot invisible butcher knives at the red-head.

"Right," Sora added. Though he couldn't help but mentally slap himself for not adding anything more.

"I understand. I guess I'm stuck with Mima then," Erol pitifully droned.

"Hey! What's that suppose to mean? And what about that tone?" Mima nagged, stomping her foot. Erol shook his head and took the fuming girl by the wrist.

"Come Mima, we should just go together," the dark-umber-haired boy declared, dragging the struggling girl away in another direction.

"But but but, Erol! Our pla- MMFFF!"

A large hand clapped around her yapper.

"Not so loud!" he whispered angrily.

Sora and Kairi looked to each other. What was Mima going to say?

"Eheh, excuse Mima if you would. She's just a bit angry at the moment. We'll see you two later, perhaps," Erol courteously explained, still dragging Mima in a random direction.

"Have fun, you two," Kairi laughed half-heartedly.

The brunette next to his arms, secretly jumping for joy that Erol and Mima are now out of his and Kairi's way to a fun time. After the rivaling boy and girl were out of eye-shot, Sora felt relieved.

"Geez, I thought they'd force us to separate," admitted a tired-looking Sora.

"I thought so too," Kairi agreed. "To tell you the truth, I didn't even want to go with him."

Blue eyes widened a bit and turned to the auburn girl, who smiled softly.

"Wait, you DIDN'T want to go with him?" he repeated, making sure to put enough emphasis on the respected word.

She nodded. "He's a nice guy, but I want to go with you."

Sora knew better than to get his hopes up, and he decided to put on a colder tone.

"You're just saying that because of our promise, right?"

To his surprise, Kairi shook her head and even laughed a little.

"I'd want to go with you, even if we didn't make a promise," she replied. A little butterfly started to wander excitedly in Sora's insides. "You should know me well enough that I'm not that heartless."

Sora turned the other way. "Y-Yeah, yeah..."

After a bit of silence, Kairi felt her hair sway a little, following a cold feeling.

"Sora, it's getting colder," she pointed out.

"Do you want my jacket?" he asked, offering her his clothing that draped over his arm.

"No, I'm fine. I'm just worried about you," Kairi said.

"I'm fine. I don't feel cold," Sora assured.

"No, Sora. I'm not risking that again. Please put it on," Kairi demanded, though gently.

"Trust me Kairi, I'm fine," Sora reassured again. "If I get sick again, then you get to tease and taunt me whenever you want after I get better."

"No," Kairi bluntly said, swiping the jacket from his arm. "Put it on."

"Kairi," the brunette sternly said. "I told you, I'm-"

"I don't care. Please, just put it on. If you don't then I won't speak to you ever again."

Sora's jaw dropped. "No fair, Kairi! I'm gunna get hot in that thing!"

"Good!" she cried. "It'll help against the cold!"

Gritting his teeth, Sora swiped his jacket out of her dainty hands and shoved it on. Really, Kairi was always such a worry-wart, especially when they were kids. Even WHEN they were bitter enemies, the auburn-headed girl still worried about him. I guess things don't change that much, eh?

Sora couldn't help but feel very special today. Heck, he felt so special this whole weekend! His dream girl had stayed with him for a week and gave her his full attention. Sora even thought of her as a house wife (despite how embarrassing that is to admit in his mind). He knows his thoughts of her, his feelings her, and his overwhelming denial of those feelings. The poor boy just could not bring himself to even say it out loud to her, let alone to himself!

"There," Sora mumbled bitterly. "Happy?"

"Not quite," Kairi said, taking the two ends of his jacket and pulled the zipper up. The whit star on his shirt was now half covered. "There."

Ignoring their close proximity (and the heat that rose in his face), Sora merely let out a "Tch".

"Now I'm satisfied," Kairi said with a smile.

"Hey! They're over here!"

The brunette and auburn-headed girl turned in the direction of none other than a jumping and pointing Selphie. She skipped over in her kimono, despite tripping on her sandals a few times. Very soon, other friends came over emerging from the mass of people. Roxas and Namine struggled the most since they were holding hands.

"Wow, the crowd here is too much," Namine sighed, wiping her kimono.

"I know. We had trouble ourselves," Kairi said, patting her back.

"So you're feeling better now, Sora?" Roxas asked, checking to see if the brunette had any signs of sickness left over.

"I'm fine," he said.

"Yeah, thanks to Kairi," Selphie giggled.

Kairi blinked a couple of times while Sora refrained from yelling. Selphie sure likes to imply a lot of things because of her ways of being vague.

"I guess," Kairi answered, obviously missing Selphie's actual meaning.

"Ahem, Um, where are the others?" Sora interrupted before any other absurd-ness could erupt from the hyper girl's mouth.

Namine looked around a bit. "They should be coming any minute now."

And on cue, Riku, Ka, Olette, Hayner, Tidus and Yuna appeared in different directions.

"Sorry, we got lost in the sea of people," Yuna apologized.

"Us too," Riku said. "It's claustrophobic."

Ka nodded, having her pinned-up black hair sway.

"Well, we're here, and we should get going and have some fun!" Olette perked.

"I agree. Should we meet after again?" Tidus asked.

Everyone nodded.

"Okay, let's get going. See you all later," Riku announced, having Ka follow suit.

The group scattered in pairs, but one pair remained with our main pair.

"Hey, Kairi. You should come with me and Roxas to ride the Chocobos," Namine suggested.

Sora could've sworn Kairi's violet-blue eyes glittered as she brightened and whipped her head around to him.

"Can we go with them???" she eagerly asked, clasping her hands together.

The brunette scratched his head. It doesn't take much to please this girl, now does it?

"Whatever you want," he said, earning an elbow and a wink from Roxas.

Kairi squealed, taking Namine's hand and racing towards the Chocobo Ranch. Meanwhile, Sora and Roxas followed casually behind.

"What's up, cousin? How's your weekend going?" Roxas asked, adjusting his kimono sleeves.

"Not so bad," Sora replied. "Though getting sick was pure hell."

The blonde laughed. "Oh come on. By pure hell, you mean pure heaven. Kairi was there with you, right?"

"Yeah. She mainly took care of me when my parents were ou- Roxas stop grinning like that."

Sora was sending glares in Roxas's way, who laughed again.

"Lighten up, Sora. I'm only kidding," assured Roxas. "But you know, I've noticed your change of behavior around her."

The brunette lifted up a brow. "How so?"

Roxas rubbed his chin with his index finger, making everything seem to have a sarcastic tone. "Let's see, how do I put this. How about, you getting a little closer to her than before?"

Deciding to play dumb, Sora merely replied with an, "I don't know what you're talking about..."

His cousin only sniggered, "Yeah, right. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Before Sora could even retort back, Kairi came zooming by with wilted eyes.

"Um, Sora?" she asked timidly.

"What?" he replied indifferently, wondering how this cheerful girl got so down in a matter of seconds.

"Er, do you think you could pay? I kind of, um, want to save my munny for something," she continued hesitantly.

Sora merely crossed his arms. "Fine fine, just stop frowning like that."

Like the sun, Kairi brightened and excitedly wrapped her arms around his neck, causing her best friend to turn fifteen shades of scarlet.

"Thank you, Sora!!! I'll pay you back, okay?" Kairi squealed, tightening her grip.

His heart felt like it was threatening to burst out of his chest as heat swelled Sora's face. "Wh-Whatever, j-just don't scream like th-that in my ear."

Roxas stifled his laughter, trying to keep only a meek smile as he witnessed the two's interaction. Kairi let go, beckoning the cousins to hurry up and left without another word. Sora, however, apparently didn't hear her and stood there, gulping to see if the neck Kairi had hugged was still functioning properly.

"Yeah, as I was saying," Roxas continued with an even bigger smirk. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Sora whirled around. "Prove it then."

The blond cocked his head to the side playfully. "Prove what?"

"Prove my change of behavior around her," Sora repeated his cousin previously.

The blond started to walk again, having his brunette cousin reluctantly follow.

"Let's see. Before, you two were always yelling at each other, insulting each other, and other things lovers do when they're in denial," Roxas stated casually, much to Sora's chagrin. "But now that months have passed by, the insults and yelling kept coming, but there was also something else that developed."

"Which is?" Sora pestered with an annoyed look.

"I don't know, you tell me," Roxas snickered. "I'm not the one who has feelings for her."

Sora's eyes widened. "Wait, where did you get that from?"

Roxas laughed. "Your face. It's all red."

In a flash, Sora shook his head. "No way, you're lying!"

The blond shrugged. "You and Kairi need to stop the denial stuff and just confess already. It's getting some of us (and our readers) a bit impatient."

Roxas looked at his cousin, seeing his feet not moving anymore and rooted to their new spot. Sora's face was hung low, but the blonde's misty blue eyes could still see a streak of red.

"I... can't."

I now give you permission to squeal with delight if you want. As for Roxas, his eyes and eye brows just lifted.

"You can't? Can't what?" he asked again.

Sora looked the other way. "I can't confess..."

I now give you permission to higher your volume of squeal-age. Just make sure your windows are intact after. Roxas turned around, beyond amused.

"So, you really DO have feelings for her," Roxas stated the obvious.

Sora gulped, taking that as a yes. "Roxas, you should know me really well by now. I've always had ...feelings for her."

"Even when you two were still fighting?" the blond persisted, though he could tell this conversation was eating away at his cousin.

Sora nodded. Nothing more could be said, except for, "Don't tell Kairi."

Roxas chuckled. "Oh, I won't. It's your job to be a man and confess to her head on. Have you told anyone else?"

The brunette shook his spiky head. "No. But I was planning to tell Riku."

"How about the others, excluding Kairi?" Roxas asked.

"I don't care. You can tell them if you want," the brunette sighed.

His cousin clearly understood the hardship Sora is now endeavoring, for he had quite difficulty confessing his little crush on Namine. "Okay, I'll tell them, but I'll also tell them to keep it secret."

"...Right," Sora nervously said. As though some weight had been lifted off, his head raised, still containing a bit of pink in his cheeks. He knew this was coming, and denial would be futile. But he couldn't help but wonder...

_Does she even feel the same way...?_

Roxas laughed, "C'mon Sora. They're waiting. Be sure to stop blushing, or Kairi'll think you got sick again."

Sora sighed. "Sometimes you know me too well, Roxas."

The blond smiled. "I know."

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"Kairi, stop jumping! You'll get your kimono dirty!" Namine laughed, trying to keep her hopping auburn friend down.

"I can't Nam! I'm so excited! I've always wanted to ride a Chocobo!" Kairi tittered, flailing her hands.

Namine chuckled at her best friend's actions, stating how childish she looked. Kairi retorted back with a pout.

"Hey Kairi, can I ask a question?" Namine questioned, checking if the line to the Chocobos were still at a stand-still.

Kairi nodded. "Sure, what is it?"

Putting on her brightest smile, the blond asked, "What's going on with you and Sora?"

The auburn slouched right then and there. "Namine, not this again..."

"Well, I'm just wondering, because I've noticed how close you two are now-a-days."

Kairi blinked. "Does it really look like that?"

Namine nodded. "I wouldn't lie to you Kairi. Regardless of the other always teasing you guys, I'm pretty sure some of us have noticed an actual connection."

It was as if Namine was reading Kairi's mind. And just like that, Kairi felt the heat creep into her face, causing a faint blush to occupy her cheeks.

"I-It's not what you guys think," Kairi stuttered, though that didn't help justify her defense. Namine just kept her smile.

"Oh, we know it's not. Even though we're not exactly sure, we know that there's something more to you guys," the blond stated plainly.

Kairi began to fiddle with the hem of her pastel pink sleeves. She thought she hid her feelings well.

"Am I... Am I that obvious?" she meekly asked, looking into her best friend's delighted blue eyes.

"Well, maybe not to Sora, but to us, yes," Namine answered truthfully. "And by you saying that, do you admit that you have feelings for him?"

Well, Namine WAS her best friend. Denial wouldn't really work anymore after she tried keeping up that game.

"...I do," Kairi hesitated. She could practically feel her heart pumping louder and louder. "But, please don't tell Sora."

Namine chuckled, " I won't. You have to do it yourself, or else the words won't mean anything."

Kairi smiled a little. "Right..."

"But can I tell the others, excluding Sora?" Namine hopefully asked.

"Sure, if you want', though I doubt it'll matter because you guys have always bugged me and Sora about it," Kairi laughed heartedly.

"Alright! And we'll be sure to keep it a secret," the blond exasperated, putting a finger to her lips, indicating the gesture of being quiet. Kairi smiled, though she knew this was about to come. Denying any further would just wear out her mind. Though she couldn't help but wonder...

_Does he even feel the same way...?_

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Now that Roxas and Sora arrived, it was their turn to chance a ride at mounting the monstrous yellow birds, which "WARK!"ed loudly. Roxas and Namine mounted their Chocobos without trouble with Roxas in the back and Namine in front, holding the reigns.

"Be careful, Namine," Roxas said.

She smiled. "Don't worry, I will."

Sora and Kairi got on theirs with no trouble, but it seemed this Chocobo was eager to get a move on.

"Okay, hold on to the reigns tightly, little lady," the trainer instructed. Kairi nodded in response.

"Make sure to hold on to her young man," the trainer requested. Sora nodded hesitantly, snaking his arms around her small waist. In an instant, their faces became unbearably red, causing Namine and Roxas to laugh out loud.

"Don't worry, cousin! It's just us four around," Roxas teased.

"Sh-Shut up! Kairi, hurry up and get this bird going," he hissed, trying to make the heat stop flowing in his face.

"Don't rush! Or else the Chocobo will go haywire," Kairi pouted. The trainer handed around a bag of gysahl pickles, informing them that this was a Chocobo's favorite food. If they wanted them to get moving, they'd have to feed it to them. Kairi was literally teetering on their saddle as Sora was trying his best not to have the urge to intimately squeeze the girl in front of him.

"Alright! Everyone may start feeding them!" the trainer announced as he was now safely on the sidelines inside the ranch. Kairi quickly rummaged through the sack, pulling out a long, green pickle, clenching her nose at the horrible smell.

"Gah, crap that stinks!" Sora gasped, burying his face into her hair, hoping that the strawberry and vanilla scent would block out that foul odor. Kairi automatically stiffened, feeling the full-blown hit of heat gushing in her face. Hastily holding it out for the Chocobo to eat, they marched forward. Kairi sealed the bag securely and held on to the reigns as their Chocobo stalked around the others, occasionally waving to Namine and Roxas. Sora withdrew his head from her hair, rethinking that rash action and resisted the temptation to do it again. He really liked the way she smelled.

Kairi let out a little giggle. "This is fun! Right Sora?"

"Mmm," he mumbled. He had to admit, this was kind of enjoyable, even though it was meant for kiddies.

Little did they know was that Erol and Mima were in the same ranch, riding a different Chocobo and keeping a keen eye on them.

"When do you want to give it to them?" Mima asked, holding the reigns firmly.

"We'll do it right now," Erol confirmed, holding onto Mima's waist. "Go over there and act like you just spotted them."

The raven-haired girl nodded and directed the Chocobo to walk in their direction.

"Hey, Sora?" Kairi asked.

"Huh?" he replied.

"Are you okay back there?" the auburn questioned, looking back at him.

:"I'm fine, just, whoa! Kairi!" he panicked, grabbing onto her hands that held the reigns. "Geez, watch where you drive this thing!"

"Sorry!" Kairi replied loudly, taking notice of how Sora's hands completely covered her small ones. Her blush came back, and it was a good thing she was up front so Sora wouldn't be able to see. Little did Kairi know that the brunette behind was also scarlet in the face as his heart told him to not let go, even for his life. Obeying his heart for once, he didn't let go, and neither spoke up about it. Well, that is, until a nosy couple stalked towards them.

"Hi Sora-poo!!!!"

"Sora-poo" cringed at the high-pitched cackle, tightening his grip on Kairi.

_Oh come on!!! Our day just got started, and they're going to interfere NOW?!_

"Hello Kairi," Erol pleasantly greeted.

"Ah, hi Erol," Kairi replied back. "I didn't know you two were in line with us."

"We didn't either (apparently)," Erol smiled.

"Oh, but we were just going to leave," Mima added.

Sora lifted a brow. "That's quick. We've only just started."

Erol sighed, patting Mima's back. "Apparently Mima here doesn't like it, so we're going to stop early."

Mima nodded with a toothy smile. In an instant, she handed her sack over to Kairi.

"Here. We won't be needing these if we're going to stop," Mima said, not looking up into her rivals face. Kairi hesitantly took it.

"Um, thanks?" the auburn girl somewhat politely responded.

"We'll be seeing you guys around," Erol politely waved, motioning Mima to direct the Chocobo back to the trainer.

Okay, something fishy was going on here... The best friends watched the couple go towards the trainer, dismounting and going over to the other side of the ranch. Little did they know of the smirks they had on their faces. Kairi looked to Sora uneasily, who gave her the same expression back.

"Is it me, or are they up to something...?" Kairi asked, facing ahead again.

Sora shrugged. "I don't know, and I honestly don't care, as long as they're not bothering us."

Regardless of how harsh that sounded, Sora refused to let Kairi know of the warning Riku had given him about Mima and Erol. There's no need to worry her, what could go wrong anyway? In a sudden lurch forward, the Chocobo refused to move again. Kairi looked to the Chocobo's head, only to receive a "WARK!" in return. Noting that gysahl pickles were their favorite food, Kairi quickly rummaged into Mima and Erol's bag, only to feel something wilted and thin. She pulled it out to inspect what it is. Sora looked at it too, only to raise eyebrows at it.

"Is that a red pepper?" he asked.

Kairi twirled it around in her hands. "I think it is. Do you think this is also part of the Chocobo diet?"

Sora shrugged. "I don't know, but I think we should- Kairi wait!"

It was too late. Kairi had already fed it to their Chocobo and she was looking back at him expectantly.

"What Sora?"

"..." Sora waited for a reaction from the giant bird they were mounted on. Alas, nothing came, except for the gulping down of that red pepper.

"Geez, Sora, you have to relax! Nothing's going to- EYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!

In a quick flash, Sora found himself tumbling on the ground. When he stumbled to get up and see what had just happened, he saw a raging Chocobo run around like its head was cut off, startling the other Chocobos and their riders. On that hay wired Chocobo, Kairi was clutching to the long feathery neck for dear life while screaming ," Eyaahhh!!! Someone help!!!"

Sora looked around frantically for the trainer, who found him startled and trying to run after the crazy bird. Sora followed suit, ignoring the gasps and screams from his surroundings. His best friend was in danger, and he had no definite plan of how to save her.

_Damn it! I told her not to feed it to that thing!_

Sora turned as the bird turned, trying to fasten his pace. Kairi looked like she was on the verge of crying, until she spotted Sora running in their tracks.

"Sora!!! Help!!!" she screamed as the bird let out a screeching craw.

"Kairi!!! Just jump!!!" he called, feeling his legs go numb.

"What???!!!! Sora, I can't-"

"Just do it!!! I'll catch you!!!" he reassured quite loudly, holding out his arms to her.

Kairi bit her lip, seeing as there really is no other way unless she wanted to stay for the crazy roller-coaster ride. Letting her hands unfurl, she felt her body violently lurch off of the bird's back, flying into Sora's arms. The two were sent colliding on the ground with Sora on the bottom, lessening the pain for Kairi. The brunette cringe at the painful crack he barely heard as his back came in contact with the hay ground. His chest rose up and down as he held on to Kairi, who was panting heavily, burying her face in his neck. Sora's vision became clear as he saw the rampaging bird being tamed by more of the trainer's friends, holding the reigns down to calm the bird's irritation. The brunette rose up, having Kairi rise up with him. His skin tingled as a clump of his shirt was being fisted by the auburn girl.

"Are you alright, Kairi?" he asked softly.

She nodded, panting and not revealing her terrified face.

"Kairi, look at me," Sora breathed, feeling his adrenaline go down.

She shook her head, refusing his request and grasping tighter to his shirt. Sora held her shoulders, trying to get a good distance away to see her face. The girl stubbornly hung her head even lower.

"Kairi," he repeated, having his hand cup her chin and raise her head. In her eyes, pools of tears were sitting at the bottom eyelids, threatening to cascade down. His expression turned to worry.

"I-I'm sorry. I know you t-told me not t-to feed it... But I-I didn't l-listen..." Kairi choked, shutting her eyes and allowing the tears to spill.

"It's okay. It's okay. As long as you're not hurt," he reassured, wiping the tears away. It didn't occur to them that they were sitting nearly in the middle of the ranch, tending to each other while their Chocobo calmed down by eating a bucket of apples.

"Wh-What about you...? Are you okay? I fell on you," Kairi sobbed, feeling ten times better that Sora was wiping away her tears.

"I'm fine," he said, straightening his back. "Just landed on my back. Nothing's broken though."

After helping Kairi up, the trainer rushed over, apologizing over and over again, though, Kairi interrupted and told the whole situation with the red pepper. The trainer informed them that Chocobos use this food to pump their adrenaline up, which was useful for breaking rocks with their beaks and even having them dive deep into the ocean to look for treasure. In the end, it was Kairi who apologized a bajillion times to the trainer, who waved it off. The commotion calmed down and everyone was authorized to check their sacks if there was a suspicious red pepper in there. After leaving the ranch, Roxas and Namine ran to them with worry-stricken faces.

"Are you two okay?" Roxas hastily questioned, looking the pair up and down.

"Yeah, we're okay," Kairi said with a small smile.

"You guys scared us to death!" Namine exasperated.

"We were scared to death too," Sora huffed, crossing his arms behind his head.

"But that was smooth, Sora. You saved Kairi!" Roxas cheered, heavily patting Sora on the back, whom cringed at his cousin's touch.

"Roxas, not so hard please," the brunette pleaded, rolling his shoulders.

Namine was attending to Kairi, whose eyes were a bit swollen from crying. "Awww, Kairi, it's so nice to have a knight-in-shining-armor huh?"

Kairi blushed a bit. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Namine laughed, and then turned to her boyfriend. "Roxas, you agreed to go with me to th games! I think we should go now, now that these two are okay."

Roxas nodded and turned to his cousin. "You take care of Kairi like you did five minutes ago, okay?"

The brunette waved his cousin off. "Yeah yeah, you're not my mom, Roxas."

A smile was the blonde's response. "I know."

"Okay, see you guys later! Remember to meet up afterwards!" Namine called in the distance with Roxas waving. The couple waved back, looking to each other again.

"Do you still want to stay?" Sora asked.

She nodded. "I know that was a rough start, but I think we can still have fun. We still have time."

"Okay, but be careful next time," the brunette lectured. Kairi nodded glumly. She didn't mean for their first activity to go so wrong.

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"Grr!!! Darn it! That didn't work!"

"Calm down Mima. We still have two tries left."

"I know! But I'd have thought that Sora would get angry at her!"

"Likewise, but I think that they have developed something that is too strong to intervene his grudge."

"By the grudge, do you mean your cousin?"

"Mm. My cousin was very close to Kairi back in their childhood. He also described a very jealous brunette boy with spikes."

"You mean, Sora-poo?"

"I'd imagine..."

"Well, it seems Sora-poo and Kairi are stuck to each other now."

"Heh. Not if my cousin can help it. He'll be arriving here just a little after Christmas."

"And you?"

"... I'll be returning to Hollow Bastion. My cousin will be staying with my aunt and uncle in my place."

"... Why are you returning again?"

"My mother and father want me to return to enroll in an academy they recently found."

"I see. And you'll be leaving, when?"

"Next week, right after the Sleeping Beauty play."

"... I see."

"Tch, Mima, don't look so down, I'll be sure to stay in contact with you after I leave."

"I-I'm not down!"

"Sure, whatever you say. Now, let's begin our next sequence, shall we?"

"Right. We have this only chance. Better not let it go to waste."

**End Chapter 35**

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A/N: So? How was it? Did you like it? xD I knew it'd be time for them to openly admit their feelings, but not to each other. Not yet. 8D I hope you guys don't kill me! Anyway, a review would be appreciated and thanks a bunches for reading! C8


	36. Final Festivity Pt 3: Struggle For You

A/N: 8D;;; Yeah, please don't kill me!!! I know I' blamed it on school in the past, but it really is the problem! DDx I'm graduating this year and I need to keep up with my studies, which totally explains the long wait for this chapter. 8D;; So anyway, this chapter is a bit lengthy, so be sure to follow along! Also, my Microsoft Word trial ended. So I couldn't spell check, but I reread it twice. Let me know if there are any errors! AGAIN, I'M SORRY! I HOPE YOU ENJOY!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura do. Although Mima and Erol belong to me.

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**Chapter 36**

The brunette boy rolled his shoulders again, feeling a slight twinge on his spine.

"... Damn it. Stupid over-sized chicken-thing..." Sora mumbled, massaging the spot that hurt the most.

Kairi barely heard his insult and peered up at him guiltily. She really should listen to Sora before doing anything, or else he'd get hurt again by trying to save her. Her feet stopped, twisting her body to face the brunette head on.

"Sora, I'm really sorry. I really should have-"

"Yes, Kairi, I know," Sora said a little to quickly. "Just don't let it happen again."

"... Where does it hurt?" she asked, fiddling with the hem of her kimono sleeves.

The brunette boy blinked at her. "It's just my back, like I told you already, unless you forgot."

Auburn locks swayed quickly when Kairi shook her head. Guilt was overriding her conscious, so there was no way she could forget. "No, I didn't forget..."

Well, this wasn't unexpected. Of course Kairi would get all gloomy and such for doing something like that to Sora. But he couldn't help but notice her eyes scanning around for something.

His brown brow quirked. "... What are you looking for?"

She pointed a finger to a bench, which was currently occupied by an elderly woman in heavy attire. The senior citizen seemed to be prepared for the upcoming cold.

"Let's sit there for a minute," Kairi suggested, looking back at him.

"...Huh? Are you tired already?" the brunette asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Kairi shook her head. "No, but I want to do something for you."

Well, Sora could've taken this as something completely different, but he didn't get his hopes up.

"Er, what are you going to- Whoa!"

At that moment, Kairi was dragging Sora over there against his will. Now, Sora is no weakling, as displayed in his and Kairi's carnival date. He could easily tear his hand away from hers, but something about the warmth emitting from her very small palms seemed secretly inviting. Heck he even wanted to curl his fingers around hers, but the only thing that would accomplish would be awkwardness. And the two of them certainly didn't need that for this fun day.

"H-Hey, Kairi! Hold on! There's only room for one of us on that bench!" he quickly pointed out.

Kairi still kept going. "Would you like to sit on the ground or the bench?"

The brunette blinked at her multiple times. "... Um... If I sit on the bench, where are you going to sit?"

"I'll be standing," she replied, getting nearer to their destination.

Sora knew better than to take that seat for himself. Besides, it was common courtesy for a guy in their society. And if Riku found out, he'd personally kick his butt.

"The ground then," he said. Sora also pondered what on earth she could give him on a bench.

_...A kiss maybe?_

His tan face started emitting heat and a rosy color. Where the heck did that idea even come from? He quickly threw the thought out of the window. Besides, how and why would she accomplish that using the bench? Couldn't she just do it right then and there? Most importantly, WHY would she even do that? They were friends!

"Good afternoon, ma'am," Kairi greeted politely with a smile. "Is it okay if I sit here?"

"Ah, why certainly," the elderly, yet, pudgy woman confirmed, scooting a bit. "Ah, should I move a little more for your boyfriend?"

_... Boyfriend? How do I look like her-_

His gaze led to their intertwined hands.

_... Right, I should've known._

"That's alright. That won't be necessary," Kairi politely stated, seating herself on the bench. The weird thing was, she didn't even fight back of how he WASN'T her boyfriend. Maybe it was respect being shown torwards the elderly? Yeah, that must be it.

"Here Sora, just sit in front of me," the auburn-headed girl instructed, moving her little feet under the bench seating. Sora hesitantly did so, plopping against the hard, cold ground. Now what? He saved Kairi from a fatal fall, courteously gave up his seat for Kairi, and now his butt was slowly threatening to get frost-bitten. What was she going to give him? His ears picked up the sound of shuffling clothing, particularly silk. Before he could even turn his head, a bewitching sensation came upon his back. Fingertips pressed against his sore muscles, making him cringe and then relax.

_...This feels really good..._

"How's that, Sora?" Kairi asked, resuming her massaging.

"...Mm," he mumbled. His voice failed him for obvious reasons.

Meanwhile, the elderly lady was chuckling to herself.

"You're a good nurse, aren't you?" she complimented.

Kairi smiled at her, not stopping her treatment. "Thank you. I used to do this to my dad a lot."

"I see," nodded the elderly woman. She leaned over to get a good glimpse at Sora's face, which displayed that of heavenly pleasure and a wide grin. "You're girlfriend is very kind. You must feel very lucky."

"...Mm," he mumbled again, though he didn't clearly register what the woman exactly said. He was too caught in Kairi's handwork. Kairi, on the other hand, blushed and giggled. Sora was very easy to please.

The elderly woman leaned back and giggled also. "Ah, young love these days. It's such an adorable thing."

Kairi blushed harder. What was she to say to that? To correct her and say that they were just friends? They weren't in love with each other as far as she knew. She watched as her small finger began making circular patterns, disturbing the folding of his jacket. It was smooth to her touch. Meanwhile, the little old lady took a glance at her wrist watch and sighed a puff of air. Kairi made no effort to speak her mind about correcting the little old woman.

"Ah, well, I better leave," she announced quietly, taking up her bright purse.

"Thank you for letting me sit here," Kairi thanked as the elderly woman got up.

"You're welcome," the elder woman replied, turning back around. "Happy holidays."

"Happy holidays," Kairi bade back, watching her figure disappear in the crowd.

"How's your back feeling?" Kairi asked, stopping her movements and leaning over his head.

A roll of the shoulders, a quick stretch, and a now looming Sora was her response. He stood quite monumental compared to her sitting figure.

"Much better. I can actually stretch without hollering in pain now," he answered. She stood up as well and grinned at him.

"Good. Now we can continue our day."

Very typical of Kairi to go out of her way and make things peachy again. That just showed how much she cared. Too bad Sora didn't know the extent of her care for him. The old lady was right. She really is a good girlfrie- er, friend. Yeah, just friend. Wait, he was listening?

"Sora?"

He snapped out of his thoughts and peered down at her. "Huh? What?"

She giggled. "Quit spacing out when I'm talking to you."

"Er, right. Sorry," he apologized. "Um, what were you saying?"

"I was saying if you wanted to-"

"Hey Sora, Kairi!"

The two turned their heads to another friendly couple, one consisting of a silver-haired boy and a raven-haired girl, walking up to them casually.

"Hey guys," Ka waved. "Are you resting already?"

Kairi shook head. "No, we were just leaving. Were you guys going to rest? We'll get out of the way of the bench."

"That won't be necessary," Riku said. "We just wanted to know if you both wanted to come with us."

The brunette eyed his best friend. "Where?"

"That depends. Are you up for a little Struggle competition?" Riku spoke again.

Kairi looked worriedly at Sora, who looked determined as ever.

"Heh, you bet. I'll kick your butt, and right in front of Ka too," he snickered. Ka giggled lightly as Riku crossed his arms smugly.

"We'll see you try. Also, I think Kairi should be there too, since she'd have to heal a bruised head as well as a back," Riku sneered back. Sora flushed ten shades darker than red. Had they seen Kairi massaging his back?

"But Sora, you just injured yourself recently. Are you sure?" Kairi asked, peering into his eyes.

He faltered for a moment, but his gut told him to take the challenge.

"Don't worry, Kairi. I'll be fine. Trust me," he grinned. Kairi smiled a small one, telling herself hat he WILL be okay. After all, he's the one who saved her from a fatal fall.

She nodded. "Okay. I'll be rooting for you and Riku with Ka."

Ka nodded also. "Just don't kill each other out there."

Riku smiled and placed a hand on Ka's shoulder. Riku's long-time friends were quite surprised by his bold action, but of course, didn't show it. Usually he would stutter and let the raven-haired girl make the moves.

"We'll try not to, right Sora?" Riku reassured.

The brunette nodded. "Right. Let's get going then."

The four went there merry way into the sea of people, walking next to their respected partners. In a little bush not far from the bench Kairi and Sora were previously occupying, Mima and Erol were keeping a keen eye.

"It seems they're heading to the Struggle match," Erol informed, rubbing his chin.

"Good, then this should work with our next sequence. If making a fool out of Kairi wasn't enough, then we'll just have to make a fool out of Sora-poo," Mima grinned, her red eyes glimmering darkly.

"Mm," Erol agreed, standing up and wiping any leaves from his yukata.

"... Wait, both of us have no experience in fighting or sword-handling," Mima said, quickly dawning on the realization.

"Now now, calm down Mima. Don't include me with your inexperience in the sword," Erol smirked.

Mima gawked at him. "You know how to use a sword?"

"A rapier is more like it," Erol shrugged, stepping over the brush and onto the crowded area. Mima followed, excitement in her eyes as her pinned up hair flowed behind her.

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There barely was a crowd as the four came to, inspecting the arena. The referee was tapping his beefy foot continuously with his large arms crossed across his protruding chest. His mustache twitched with irritation as he eyed the dissipating crowd. He needed to gather an audience again, thanks to a certain, vanishing silver-haired guy. His beady eyes suddenly landed on Riku and the others as they came into view.

"Sorry I'm late ref," Riku said, jogging up to the large referee and leaning against the fencing.

"You darn better be! We're losing a crowd!" he incredulously pointed out. Sighing, he spoke. "Anyway, did you find one more competitor?"

Riku nodded and hitch-hiked to his best friend. "He's Struggle-material enough."

"Enough?" Sora cockily questioned. "I'm way more than enough."

Riku raised a brow and grinned at the referee. "See what I mean?"

The big man nodded. "Okay, I think it's time we start. You two stay in this area. If the young ladies could proceed to the audience fencing, then we can begin."

Kairi and Ka nodded, looking to their respected boys and giving them a sign of "Goodluck!" and "Do your best!" before retreating to the audience area. Riku and Sora looked to each other, determined to out-match the other when the time comes just as the referee coughed into the mic, getting passersby's attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Today marks the last of the series of Struggle Tournaments! Our new defending champion, Riku, will be faced with the last challenger, who will be determined by beating his opponent and advancing on to the next round."

Sora snickered at the last comment as he was handed a blue, mini-bat. He swung it around a few times, getting the blood pumping in his arms and his joints flexible. Kairi watched him from afar, smiling at the familiar nostalgia of watching Riku and Sora battle with wooden swords in their childhood on Destiny Islands. She could almost feel the rushing waters of the ocean at her feet as she stood there on the shore, witnessing a great fight filled with jumps and splashes between the brown, spiky-haired boy and the shaggy, silver-haired boy. Just when Kairi was about to witness the memory of Sora's defeat, her thoughts were interrupted by a rude shove.

"Oops, sorry Kairi. I slipped on my sandals," came a sneery voice from behind.

Ka had stepped back a bit while Kairi whirled her head in Mima's grinning face.

"Um, is this another friend of yours, Kairi?" Ka asked, uncertain and uncomfortable by Mima's "friendly" smile.

"You kidding?" Kairi snorted. "She's one of my enemies."

Ka looked a bit dumbfounded as she stared at Mima again. Mima on the other hand, looked fakely hurt and wounded to the heart.

"Kairi!" she gasped. "How could you say that about me? One of your very good friends?"

Again, Kairi snorted. "Don't listen to her, Ka. She's just a no-good liar."

The raven-haired friend of Kairi turned a worried look over to Mima, who, freakishly, turned that hurt look in a devilish-grin.

"Oh Kairi. You're so harsh. It's no wonder Sora-poo doesn't like you," Mima pointed out, unknowingly hitting a nerve in the auburn-headed girl's head.

"Oh Mima," Kairi mocked in the same tone. "You're so annoying. It's no wonder SORA doesn't like you either."

If Sora was there to here this, he'd be having a laughing fit in his stomach. Unfortunately, he remained on the other side of the fencing, where he warmed up for his first opponent. Actually, it was Ka who took his place, holding her gut and trying not to be rude by snorting. Mima looked at the auburn, who was holding out her tongue triumphantly at her, and fumed while having a loud fit. To Ka's relief, the referee interrupted again, his booming voice echoing a couple of blocks away.

"Ah yes, I almost forgot," coughed the referee. "There's is also a prize for the champion."

The competitors looked up at him with anticipation, as well as the rest of the crowd.

"We have a Struggle trophy," said the referee, pointing to the brilliant and exotic trophy behind him. There were multi-colored glass spheres at the end of each swirly point of the golden trophy, looking highly expensive and rare. "And we have a kiss as reward from a lovely maiden."

Sora did a double-take at the referee. A kiss? From a maiden? Hm, maiden meant, two words: cute and pretty. He shrugged, not caring less at who he received a kiss from, as long as it was strictly on the cheek. Riku, on the other hand, laughed quietly to himself.

Kairi's eyes widened a bit at the announcement. If Sora won, he'd be getting a kiss from another girl? An uncomfortable lurch popped in her stomach. She then thought on the brighter side. Sora may not like her, or maybe it was just a peck on the cheek. Or maybe the maiden was just an old woman which maybe satisfied the referee's humor?

"For the maiden, we have chosen one person," the referee announced. "Out of ten girls who were volunteered, Kairi is the chosen maiden!"

Kairi slumped her shoulders. Man, this Kairi chick sure was lucky. Everyone applauded around her, and, for some strange reason, were looking AT her. Oh wait...

"I'm Kairi!" she exclaimed out loud, blushing in the face. Ka laughed as she pushed Kairi through the clapping crowd and to the referee. The red-eyed, raven-haired girl who was left behind was now blowing steam out of her ears. Kairi went against her steps as Ka forced a little more for her to go forward.

"W-Wait, Ka! I didn't sign up for this!" she blurted.

"I know!" she laughed. "Me, Riku and the rest volunteered you to be the maiden!"

"What?!" Kairi wailed at her, but her answer was only a final shove torwards the referee, who smiled at her and lowered his mic for the crowd to hear nothing.

"Ah, you must be Kairi," he said.

She nodded, putting a clump of auburn strands behind her ears. "Yeah, I am."

The referee grinned. "My, you are quite the maiden! No wonder a group of people were so anxious to volunteer you. Although, you know it is your choice on whether you'd like to give the rewarding kiss. Though if you give up the position, you will have to give it to the second place volunteer."

Kairi tilted her head. "Who's the second place volunteer?"

The referee pulled out a clipboard. "Mima."

"No, I'll do it." Kairi stood there for a moment. That had come out way too fast for her own liking.

The referee smiled. "Great! Thank you for sacrificing your time for this event."

She nodded with a huge blush on her face. "It's no problem. Though, I have one question."

"Hm?" hummed the large man.

"Um," Kairi hesitated. "Th-The kiss, can it be on the cheek or something?"

Startling Kairi, the large man laughed, his mustache fluttering away from his upper lip. "Lips or cheek. Wherever you want, miss Kairi."

The flustered auburn-haired girl fiddled with the hem of her kimono. "Okay."

While all of this was happening, Sora was too busy gulping, trying to prevent his palms from getting sweaty. Kairi was the chosen maiden?! Who volunteered her?! Now that she was part of the prize, his drive to win has now gone up dramatically. The thing is, when he won, he would receive a kiss from her, something that he never dreamed would happen. Something that he only considered as a miracle. Something that maybe could bring them even closer.

"No no no no," Sora whispered to himself while shaking his cluttered head. "It's just a lousy kiss on the cheek. It won't mean a thing."

"Keep telling yourself that," Riku snickered as he advanced torwards Sora. "Who knows? If you're lucky, she might kiss you on the lips."

Like a stone, Sora froze in place, his entire being going hot and red. A kiss on the lips?! Is that even possible?!

"Sh-Shut up, Riku. You're just doing this to mess up my concentration, aren't you?" Sora scoffed, regaining his posture and stretching to ignore the overwhelming butterflies in his stomach.

The defending champion smiled. "Maybe? Show me what you got, buddy." Riku slowly walked back next to the referee, waiting for his challenger to come forth. Sora looked after him, a determined smile upon his face. He will win, and he won't let anyone else get that lucky kiss from the chosen maiden. Funny how that seemed more important than the marvelous trophy she stood next to.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the first match to get started!"

The crowd clapped, whistled, woo'ed and all that jazz.

"In our first match, we have Sora," the referee announced, pointing to Sora on one end of the arena. Kairi cheered loudly while Ka clapped on the sidelines. Mima stayed quiet, smiling darkly and folding her arms. "And we have Rai."

The boy, or rather, the MAN the referee was pointing to was tall, built, and had a tan. His lower chin jutted outward, littered with a bit of stubble, and his black hair was short, covering the necessary parts of his head and flaring outward.

"Alright boys. Whoever collects the most orbs wins the match. Keep it clean. Your time limit is one minute and thirty seconds!" the ref. informed.

The two nodded, facing each other and getting in their stances.

"Three, two, one!"

**BANG!**

As smoke sprouted from the pistol's mouth, the opponents did not rush in, but to only circle around the ring. Sora kept a keen on on Rai, who was smiling like he had already won.

"You're goin' down, ya know?" he bragged with a strange accent.

Sora only cracked a small smile. "We'll see about that."

He only had a minute to defeat this weirdo, so he'd better act now. With that final thought, Sora made the first move, charging in head on.

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_Please let Sora win, please let Sora win, please let Sora defeat him!_

Kairi closed her eyes, praying to the heavens with her clasped hands and muttering incessantly to herself when a quiet laugh interrupted her. She looked in the direction of Riku.

"Don't worry, Kai. Sora is stronger than that, of course he'll win," he reassured quietly, turning his attention back to the match.

"I-It's not THAT. It's... um..." Kairi drawled, pointing her index fingers at each other.

Riku quickly caught on to the hint, making his grin grow wider. "You really want Sora to win this tournament, don't you?"

A rosy tint crept into Kairi's face, making her hands fly to up to cover her cheeks, even though she knew it was futile.

"N-No! Th-That's not what I m-meant!" Kairi stammered, being careful of her volume.

Riku rolled his eyes, keeping the grin plastered on his mouth. "Then what did you mean exactly?"

Kairi looked to the ground, clenching her fists beneath her yukata sleeves. "I-I meant that... um... well, if you won, wouldn't Ka be kinda... I don't know... upset?"

The silver-haired champion merely shook his head. There was something about that remaining smile he kept.

"She knows that you're one of my best friends. Ka trusts you," Riku turned a bit smug as he shifted his eyes to Kairi's. "Besides, why would Ka get upset? We're not going out or anything."

Kairi looked at him suspiciously. "You aren't? But, you guys seem so comfortable with each other."

Riku scratched his cheek. "Well, yeah, we're comfortable around each other, but we're not just going to jump at it. I'm guessing she wants to take it at her pace, so I'm going to follow it. Besides, I don't mind really."

It was now Kairi's turn to smile. "Geez Riku. Just two days ago, you were spluttering your words like an idiot, but now you're all calm and collected like you usually are. I'm proud."

Her best friend rolled his eyes at her comment, but soon averted its gave to the match, which was quickly won by Sora. Kairi turned her attention too, only to witness her desired winner falling to the ground on his feet like he had just completed a high jump, hoisting the bat over his shoulder. Rai was left, sprawled on the left-most side of the ring and his Struggle bat yards away from his large, open hand.

"The winner of the first match goes to, Sora!" the referee announced with enthusiasm. A loud cheer was heard. The loudest was, of course, Kairi. Sora exhaled, brushing a bit of dirt off of his free shoulder while looking at the jumping chosen maiden. He couldn't help but smile at her childish antics once in a while. After all she had a beautiful spirit, how could one NOT smile? Riku, again, laughed quietly to himself. These two were pretty hopeless when it came to each other.

"Great fight, guys! Thank you Rai, for joining the tournament," the referee thanked, earning a curse followed by a "ya know?!". "Great job, Sora! You were amazing!"

Sora flushed a little as he scratched the back of his head. It really wasn't all that hard. He just had to do a few dodge rolls and an upper slash. All that sparring with Riku wasn't for nothing, you know.

"Very good, very good. Okay! On to the next round! In this next match, we have, Seifer!"

The beefy referee pointed a large finger at the man with the black beanie and searing blue eyes. A scar went across the bridge of his nose, while his blond hair peeked out from under the hat. He looked very arrogant and cocky, swinging his bat wildly before pointing it directly at his opponent.

"And his opponent will be, Erol!"

The name made Sora's eyes whirl in the direction of the pointing referee. He had just stepped away from the center, onto the sidelines, only to hear the name he didn't want to hear at the moment. Surely, there was Erol, proudly standing up straight and holding the Struggle bat by his side with confidence and grace. His lavender eyes landed on Kairi for a moment, who was stunned. He looked back on Seifer, forming a victory smile upon his lips as he readied his stance to attack. Riku quietly watched, but only to feel a bit annoyed inside. He should've seen this coming.

_Crap, our plans might be ruined if Erol wins this tournament._

"You know the drill fellas!" the referee said loudly into the mic. "You have a minute and thirty seconds, like the last match!"

Sora watched intently as the large ref. loaded the pistol and aimed for the sky.

"Three, two, one!"

**BANG!**

Seifer took the first move, immediately charging with the Struggle bat waddling behind in his arm. Erol made no movement, but to only stand his position. His bat raised slightly, not to defend, but to attack. Erol did so just as Seifer was within a foot. With a swift bop of his Struggle bat, Seifer was sent staggering back, clutching his head, having a few orbs drop. Erol was quick to side-step along, collecting them as he kept a close eye on Seifer.

Sora narrowed his eyes on the rapier-experienced teen's movements. They were so graceful, and well-planned. It was like he followed these movements out of a book. Kairi was equally stunned, trying very hard not to blink or else she would've missed the whole match. Riku, was unimpressed, but only focusing on Sora next to him.

_He'd better be watching Erol closely._

Seifer regained himself, growling in the process. Erol made no movement, only to stare at him head-on, which only resulted in aggravating him further. Seifer ran torwards him again, this time, blocking when Erol struck. Seifer swung around, only to lunge quickly and perform an upper-swipe. Erol dodged by an inch, finding an opening to his shoulder and quickly thrusted his bat into the joint. Seifer was once again thrown backwards, with much more added force this time. The dark umber-haired teen now began to pivot back and forth, collecting orbs as he slowly stayed within his area. Thirty three seconds remained, and Seifer jumped right up, charging again. Erol sighed, pivoting more rapidly. It was time to finish it. Before even giving Seifer a chance to take another step, Erol's quick feet-work zig-zagged rapidly around the central part of the arena, appearing behind him and striking horizontally, sending him flying into the opposite end of the fencing. Many orbs dropped to the ground, which made easy-work as Erol ran around, gathering them up. His opponent laid face-down, twitching slightly as he made an effort to come back on his feet, even though it was too late...

"And our winner is, Erol!" the referee announced, signaling the end of the match. The crowd cheered behind him, awed and what not of his unique fighting style. Mima cheered loudly behind the fencing while Sora and Kairi stared in amazement.

_Crap... He really knows how to fight..._

Sora now had an obstacle in his path to get to Kairi, even thought she was just a few steps away, well, excluding Riku anyway. Actually, he wasn't sure if he could beat Riku either. The silver-haired boy always one-up'ed him in almost everything. Oh great, now frustration was building up in his head. No time for that now. The match with Erol is coming up.

"Very good! Thank you Seifer, for that excellent match!" the large referee thanked. "Now! For the match to determine the challenger for our champion!"

Sora walked out onto the arena rigidly, yet he held no emotion as he turned to face Erol. Erol was the same, yet his eyes narrowed on him slightly. The tension between them grew thick enough for a knife to cut it in half.

"And now folks, to determine the challenger, we have Erol and Sora!"

Did the crowd just grow immensely huger, or was it Sora? Oh well, that didn't matter. Kairi was the only person he needed to get to right now.

He paused for a moment.

_Did I just... AGH this is ridiculous! I already told Roxas, so why can't I tell myself?!_

Sora shook his head a little, ridding thoughts of embarrassment and filling the emptiness with concentration on defeating Erol. One thing Riku taught him, was to analyze your opponent first when you get the chance. Sora HAD gotten the chance of analyzing Erol in the last match. He knew of Erol's quick feet and powerful thrusts. Now he just needed to find ways around it.

"Alright boys. Keep it clean! The time limit is a minute and thirty seconds!" informed the ref.

Once again, the pistol was aimed for the sky.

"Three!"

Sora glanced at the crowd, seeing Mima's red eyes focused intensely on them.

"Two!"

His blue eyes then side-glanced at Kairi, who was clasping her hands together and looking worriedly upon the two.

"One!"

His focus went back to Erol, who stood there rigidly like a statue. Yet that smile formed way too fast on his face.

**BANG!**

Erol's pivoting began, pumping blood into his legs and enabling a faster transition from one spot to the next. Sora held his bat with both hands while having his legs spread out. This enabled Sora more leg-room to move and run, yet not as fast as Erol. The two waited a few seconds, before charging at each other simultaneously. The limited time they had demanded quick actions, or else Kairi and the trophy will be handed over to the other. Well, neither couldn't care less about the trophy. The auburn-headed girl was the real prize worth fighting for.

The loud bangs of the bats were heard, almost like a large, solid ball dropping to the ground from a skyscraper. Everyone watched with excitement, betting on who will win in their minds. Kairi hoped with all of her heart that Sora would come out victorious, not matter how mean that sounded on Erol's part. After telling herself no more denial, she would stick to it. Riku stood by the meaty referee, keeping his aquamarine eyes glued on Sora and Erol.

Erol pushed back Sora's downward strike with his one hand, yet with great difficulty. It seems he didn't realize how much strength the brunette had. His appearance certainly didn't look at all intimidating, at least to him. Sora skidded against the dirt, leaving a trail of dust to rise above him and dissipate instantly as he charged again, putting more power into his feet. Erol took an immediate step forward, thrusting his bat toward his stomach. The brunette swapped his opponent's bat away and taking a daring high-sweep slash to Erol's head. Instead, he was met with air as Erol quickly ducked. Sora back-flipped and quickly got into his stance, just in case Erol would pull a fast one. He didn't, fortunately, and instead his pivoting became for rapid and quick. Blue eyes clashed with lavender eyes as their owners charged for each other again.

"Goodness! What a spectacular match! Both opponents have not received any orbs yet! Hurry fellas! You've got fifty seconds!" the referee informed loudly. The crowd stayed silent, not wanting to miss a second of this exciting match. The sound of bat impacting bat resonated through the festival, drawing more and more attention. Soon people were tip-toeing just to see what was going on while the nearest of the crowd simply gawked.

**BAP! BAPBAP! BAP!!!**

Sora growled as he maintained his strength in trying to push Erol back, yet it seemed futile since Erol was now using both hands to do the same. The two were face-to-face, as though ready to bite each other's nose if one spoke.

"Heh, you're better than I expected..."Erol somewhat complimented. Okay, so maybe they weren't going to bite each other's noses off.

"Am I supposed to say thank you for calling me weak in the first place?" Sora snarled, exerting more force on his end.

A smile appeared on the dark umber-haired boy's face. "Why, yes actually. You were lucky to even be CALLED something by me in the first place."

In an instant, Erol was sent skidding back, staggering as he regained his posture. Sora charged at him three times his normal speed and high-jumped, bringing his bat down with power. Erol's hesitation left an open spot on his arm, and that's where Sora struck exactly. His steps failing, Erol quickly retreated away from Sora, who was collecting a small bit of the orbs he dropped.

"You'll regret that," Erol seethed, quickly charging after he regained focus. Sora merely growled as he charged head on also, grasping his bat tightly. Another thunderous clash of bats was sent booming in the air as the crowd gasped, whistled, and woo'ed altogether. Kairi's face was a bright smile. Seeing Sora at least gather a few more orbs than Erol did was a relief. Riku, on the other hand, wasn't impressed. He wasn't about to let his guard down, especially when it came to a new opponent like Erol.

"Thirty seconds fellas!" the referee warned, his beady eyes trying to keep up with them.

The brunette was now panting, feeling the tension in his hands as he just finished another clash of bats with Erol. The lavender eyes which were calm and determined now looked agitated and annoyed.

Sora scoffed. "This is what you get for underestimating me."

"Yes, maybe it is," Erol snarled. He lunged at Sora in the blink of an eye, using his footwork to its maximum capacity. His arm quickly shot up, pointing his weapon in the middle of Sora's chest, sending him back a bit. Erol quickly regained a few orbs while the hit brunette quickly and painfully stood back up.

"And that is what you get for letting your guard down," Erol snickered.

Kairi gasped audibly, clasping her hands over her mouth as she watched Sora clutch his injured chest, where his heart was. He let out another growl, tightening his grip on the bat's handle. No way was he going to loose to this guy!

"Twenty seconds!"

His breathing became profound and his strength began to give away as his arm clutching the bat shook. Sora's strength was slowly depleting while as Erol was pivoting again, keeping himself from looking vulnerable. Great, just great. He really needed more stamina, because right now, he was extremely vulnerable to Erol's agility. Raising his bat again to his other hand, which was previously clutching his heart, he faced his opponent again, sweating a bit.

_I'm not giving up yet..._

He was not giving up yet, and he'll be damned if Kairi saw him give up without a proper fight.

With his mind made up, he charged forward again, hearing the referee signal the ten second time limit. Erol's pivots stopped and charged at him a few seconds after. He expected one of Sora's typical slash blows, yet instead, he got a powerful thrust to the shoulder. Quickly after, a series of slashes, slices, and a final upper thrust landed squarely on Erol's body, sending him crashing to the ground as well as quite a few of his orbs. The brunette landed on his feet, shaking a little as he steadied himself and quickly went around, gathering the orbs. Many gasps were heard while the referee counted down the last remaining seconds. Erol managed to get up on his knees and hands.

"Three!"

Sora stopped, satisfied that he successfully collected the dropped spheres and got into position for whatever Erol would launch at him.

"Two!"

Erol just crouched there, breathing heavily and looking at the ground starkly.

"One!"

It was over. Sora had won this round. Now he could advance to Riku.

"Time! The winner is Sora!!!"

The crowd boomed, clapping and whistling as Sora panted, looking around at the people cheering him on.

"Excellent! That was an excellent match! Thank you Erol for your amazing display of the rapier!" the referee commented, clapping against the mic to show his gratitude.

Erol slowly got to his feet, swiping at the loose yukata to rid of any dirt.

"I just bought this yukata too," sighed Erol. "Oh well, my fault for participating anyway."

Sora didn't move from his position. Instead, his eyes decided for something pleasant to look at and turned to the beaming Kairi. A very pleasing smile was plastered on her face. Sora didn't remember a time when he had seen her look so happy. He couldn't help but smile too. After all, he had just gotten closer to his prize. Erol made his way back into the audience area to meet with a bummed-out Mima.

Riku unwound his arms and stalked to the other end of the arena. Turning slowly to face his brunette best friend, an anticipating smile crept on his face.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, if you couldn't get enough of THAT, then get a good load of this! This is the final match of the tournament, deciding on the winner of the Struggle tournament! We have our champion, Riku!" the referee informed.

As usual, cheers erupted.

"And his opponent, the new underdog, Sora!"

Another cheer erupted.

"Again, this will be the final match! Riku vs. Sora! You both have a minute and thirty seconds! Make this one count and you will receive the trophy and a kiss from the chosen maiden!" the referee announced.

Sora was still a little out of breath, but he was still willing to fight. Riku calmly got into his stance, his aquamarine eyes narrowing under the silver bangs of his hair.

"Show me what you got," Riku mouthed.

Sora grinned and nodded. "You got it."

The pistol was pointed to the sky.

"Three!"

Sora slowed his breath down and regained his composure. Maintaining focus was an essential key to winning

"Two!"

He looked to Kairi, who was staring straight at him with that contagious smile of hers, yet she mouthed three words. In that instant, Sora learned his purpose for fighting.

"One!"

_Do your best._

Kairi.

**BANG!**

Immediately shoving off, Riku's incredible speed led him to Sora's front, who immediately blocked his quick slashes. Sora was pushed back a bit, yet he still kept his bat up in defense. He was no push-over when it came to Riku's fighting skills. The guys was incredibly good at doing a chain of slashes and with quick feet-work even Erol couldn't match. The brunette managed to shove Riku's bat off of his face as he back-flipped. His opponent smirked, charging after him again. Sora didn't even have time to blink when he found himself on the floor and a couple of his orbs scattered around him. Like picking flowers in a field, Riku quickly gather them with ease. The brunette picked himself up, reforming his stance. Geez! The match had just started and Riku was already in the lead!

"Yeah! Go Riku!"

Kairi quickly whirled her head in the direction of the voice. If it was Ka, then it would be understandable that she would be cheering for her good friend. She thought it WAS Ka, but her eyes were a fierce red and not a soft pink. Mima looked as though she would fly away if she didn't clutch onto the fencing tight enough. It took a lot of restraint to not slide off her slipper and chuck it at the annoying girl. Besides, it would create too much of a distraction to the competitors anyhow. She directed her blue-violet orbs back to the melee. Their past battles always ended with Sora defeated and sprawled across the shore. How will this one end up?

**BAP! BAP! BAPBAPBAPBAPBAP!!! BAP!**

Riku accomplished his chain of slashes again and made a daring round-a-bout dash near Sora. Said brunette instantly retreated from him. It was almost like a dance around a large circle.

"A minute left fellas!" the referee informed.

Erol's eyes widened a bit. He had never witnessed a fast opponent like Riku. "Perhaps when I get back to Hallow Bastion, training with father would be appropriate."

The never-ending clash of bat against bat resonated throughout yet again, drawing an even bigger crowd. Perhaps if they were loud enough, the sound could travel to even the Shopping Districts.

Sora was pushed back, having his bat shield himself again. How was he going to attack if Riku gave him no time to think or act properly? Oh, right. There was also another thing Riku taught him.

_Don't give your opponent a chance._

Great thing to remember, the thing was, how WAS he supposed to take Riku's chance away if the silver-haired boy kept taking HIS chances away?

"Fifty seconds!"

The brunette snapped out of it and berated himself for letting his mind slip. He disciplined himself never to do that, especially on a battlefield. He made up his mind and decided to stay on the defense until figuring something out. Riku's horizontal slash to Sora's back was barely unsuccessful as Sora twisted his body to face Riku properly. Blocking again, Sora pushed Riku off, getting into his stance.

Sora could always strike Riku's back, but how would he do that? He couldn't match Riku's speed to save his life, and he certainly couldn't dodge roll in between his locomotion legs.

"Forty seconds!"

**BAP!**

Riku grinned as he forced for power upon his bat. Sora's weapon shook against his best friend's mighty strength.

"C'mon. I thought I taught you better than this," Riku whispered.

Sora was able to match his strength. "I thought you did too."

With a final push against each other, the two were skidding back in opposite directions.

The chosen maiden stood there, watching helplessly. Riku was having the upper-hand while Sora was constantly bombarded with complex slashes enforced by her silver-haired best friend. She knew she could not interrupt a fight, whether is be spar or competition, she knew better than to ruin her best friends' prides. Silently, yet impatiently, she stood on the sidelines, not straying her worried eyes.

"Thirty seconds!"

_Crap! I'm running out of time, I gotta think of something quick!_

Quick was right. And speaking OF quick, Riku had just decided to make another round-about dash. Sora's eyes were glued onto him, as if he was a destructive time-bomb. His bat clenched and ready for another strike, he concentrated on keeping his position.

**BAPBAPBAPBAPBAPBAP!**

Kairi gasped as she witnessed her brunette friend falling backwards, loosing another five orbs. As those orbs disappeared into the hands of Riku, the referee announced the twenty-second time limit. Her eyes hopelessly looked upon Sora, who struggled to get back up on his feet with a staggering bat. The crowd was a low rumble as they watched behind the know leaned-on wooden fence.

His brunette spikes swayed as he breathed heavily. His strength was almost gone, and Riku was again on the other side of the area in a matter of seconds. He did not look exhausted nor beaten. Sora had not landed a single shot on his body.

_Crap! I'm going to lose!_

"You can do it, Sora!"

Blue eyes met soft violet ones. Kairi's hands were cupped around her mouth as she spoke out to him.

"If you give up now, I'll never forgive you!" she shouted.

New energy began to run through his body. How could he forget his purpose for fighting for a mere minute?

Kairi lowered her hands and smiled at him warmly. She said all she could, and now it was up to him to decide whether to keep fighting or not. He looked to Riku, who was also smiling, but not in a malicious way. It was a smile that said "I agree with her, so do your best."

"Ten seconds!"

Sora instantly rose from his feet, getting into his stance while Riku did the same. Now, three were smiling, for Sora was determined to keep going. The two boys charged at the same time, Sora's speed enhancing as much as Riku's. When the two bats met, Sora quickly dared to perform a round swipe, following an upper swipe. Riku barely blocked this when he stepped back a bit and was surprised to come in contact with a bat straight on with his back. He had no time to turn around, for he was sent stumbling forward by the force as his orbs fell to the ground. Aquamarine eyes quickly whirled in the direction of Sora, who was SUPPOSED to be behind him. Instead, he was met with a swing to his side and sent cart-wheeling torwards the referee, who quickly skedaddled away. More orbs fell, and Sora was quick to collect them as he made patterns with his enhanced footwork around the area.

"Three!"

Sora and Riku's bats clashed, but only for a second.

"Two!"

The blue bat swung. Silver and brunette hair fluttered swiftly. Orbs were dropping to the ground.

"One!"

The champion quickly found himself a champion no more.

"TIME!"

Cheering erupted as Riku collapsed on the ground. Sora panted loudly, his knees shaking and arms throbbing from extensive use. He had just beaten the champion, Riku. It was now he who stood standing and not collapsed on the ground. But still, Riku is still his best friend, and that's the very reason Sora dropped his bat and ran to his side. Coming to an abrupt halt, he kneeled by the fallen Riku's side.

"Hey! Riku, you alright?" he questioned in panic.

His response was met with the silver-haired boy propping himself up on his elbows. His smile was that of proud-ness.

"Better than ever. Good job man," Riku complimented.

Sora exhaled loudly, drooping his head and letting his arms and knees take a break for once. Too bad that wouldn't happen yet.

"Congratulations Sora!" cried the referee.

Said boy cringed. He now noticed how loud it was, with all the cheering and stuff.

"Thank you, Riku, for this excellent, once-in-a-life-time match! You boys were spectacular!" added the large referee.

Before Sora could even muster the strength to get up, Kairi was quickly by his side, kneeling by Riku.

"Are you alright?" she asked, worry-stricken.

Riku chuckled. "Yes yes mom, I'm alright. Besides, you should be asking dad that."

The auburn-headed girl quickly turned to Sora, ignoring the joke unconsciously.

"You're not severely hurt anywhere, are you?" she asked eying his body up and down.

Sora scratched his head, which took tremendous effort to do.

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a little sore," he reassured.

Kairi lightened up a bit, but began to tense again when the referee spoke into the mic.

"Sora is now the new champion of Struggle! Come and claim your prizes!"

Laughing was heard from Riku as he stood up and dusted himself off.

"You heard him champ. Go and claim your prizes."

Before Sora could even glare at Riku for his antics, he was being pulled by Kairi over to where the trophy brilliantly stood. Stopping abruptly in front of it, it glimmered marvelously. The multi-colored orbs gleamed as if congratulating their new-found owner themselves. Kairi stared too, but was nudged on the arm by the referee. His mic was lowered.

"Well? Are you going to kiss him?" he whispered.

Her shoulders immediately went up to her ears. Red instantly dominated her face color as she gulped. How could she forget about that?! Sora looked over to her, noticing her unnatural shade of color.

"Kairi? What's wrong?" he asked. He crossed his arms and frowned at her. "Don't tell me you got sick instead."

Kairi shook her head feverishly. "N-No, it's not that..."

She turned to him, her hands clasped tightly behind her back.

"It's just that... um," she drawled.

Sora lifted a brow. Why was she acting Wei-

_... She's kissing me._

Really, how could he ALSO forget that Kairi's kiss came with the trophy package? Just a minute ago, he was battling against Riku for it!

It felt bittersweet as Kairi's retreating lips left his red-stained cheek. A bit of gloss was left over.

Biting her lower lip, she smiled. "Congratulations."

Great, how was he supposed to react to that?

He reached for the cheek she touched, feeling the sticky lip-gloss she left and stuck out his palm to glance at it.

Kairi chuckled. "Sorry. I think I put too much on."

"Whatever. I don't care," he shrugged and wiped the gloss on his pants.

_All I know is that I'm never touching this cheek again._

The two were bombarded with Ka and Riku, who congratulated Sora to no end and finally reminded Sora and Kairi that a crowd was watching this whole thing. Oh great, this night couldn't get even more embarrassing! The referee quickly thanked and waved to the retreating four as they made their way around the fencing. Sora, unfortunately, got more praise for his "outstanding skill in the sword" and a couple of handshakes. Kairi chuckled at her champion's annoyance as he shoved through the dissipating audience. Now that the last event was coming up, the people around the festival grew large enough for a small village! It was so crowded you would have to walk in a line if you were accompanying anybody.

"Okay, next is the Wishing Bells!" Kairi cheerily announced, clutching to Sora's sleeve in the process.

"Question is, where is that being held at?" Sora asked loud enough for Kairi, Riku and Ka to hear. Unfortunately, Riku and Ka were way ahead, and it would be quite difficult to catch up with them, especially in such a busy area. He looked back to Kairi, who was doing her best to dodge and move to people could easily walk past her. They needed to get out of there quickly or else they'd be separated, but it seems luck wasn't on their side with this one.

"Excuse me," said a passersby.

"Pardon," said another.

"Oops! Sorry!" said a female passersby.

Kairi had to let go of Sora's hand to let her pass through. Sora waited on that spot for Kairi, but the auburn-headed girl was constantly being covered by moving people. He was also being pushed back as he was being told to move. After growling and making his way rudely out of the crowd with his new Struggle trophy, he found a secluded wall to lean against.

"Kairi!!!" he called loudly. The crowd was obnoxiously loud and busy that he didn't know if she responded or not. Before he could call again, someone had called his name, adding a pet-name at the end.

"Sora-poo!"

He turned to Mima running torwards him. What surprised him was that her face was worry-stricken and not head-over-heels.

"Sora-poo, have you seen Erol?" she asked desperately.

He shook his head. "No. I thought you were with him when he went out of the Struggle arena."

Mima pouted and slumped. "Oh, this is bad... Will you help me look for him?"

Sora scratched his head. SHOULD he even help her?

"Well, I'm kind of looking for Kairi too. She got lost in the crowd," Sora informed, looking back into the mass sea of people.

Mima smiled. "Then we can look for both Erol and Kairi together!"

The brunette looked at her again, uncertain if going with this girl was even safe.

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"Sora!!!" Kairi called next to a bare tree. She had finally gotten out of that mess, but without her brunette friend. She heard no response and was prepared to call again when her name called back out to her. The voice was definitely not Sora-ish.

"Kairi!"

Her head swirled in Erol's direction, who abruptly stopped in front of her panting.

"Kairi, have you seen Mima anywhere at all?" he asked as soon as he regained his breath.

She shook her head. "No, I haven't. I thought she was with you during the Struggle tournament."

Erol copied her gesture. "She was, but then we separated because of the growing crowd. Perhaps you could help me look for her?"

The auburn-headed girl looked down guiltily. She wanted to help Erol, she really did, especially after that defeat in the Struggle tournament. Erol was probably seeking comfort from Mima.

"Um, I'm looking for Sora too," Kairi hesitantly said, pointing her index fingers together.

Erol smiled and shook his head. "Then why don't we look for them together?"

Kairi looked up hopefully, but that smile was a bit unnerving.

She silently nodded.

**End Chapter 36**

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A/N: HOW WAS IT? Did it somehow cool your anger at me for not updating sooner? xD;; Probably not. Well, even if that was the case, thank you for still bothering to read this spur of the moment story. 8D I love you guys! Again, thanks for reading and a review or two would be nice! C8


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